k 



THOUGHTS 

ON THE 

SCRIPTURE ACCOUNT 

OF 

FAITH IN JESUS, 

AND 

LIFE THROUGH HIS NAME 

IN A 

SERIES OF LETTERS. 

BY THOMAS 'DOBSON. 



PHILADELPHIA : 

PRINTED BY BARTRAM & REYNOLDS, FOR THE AUTHOR,, 

AT THE STONE HOUSE No. 41, SOUTH 

SECOND STREET. 






District of Pennsylvania^ to wit : 

BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twelfth day of October, 
in the thirty-second year of the Independence <ii the United 
States of America, Thomas Dobson, of tlie said district, hath 
deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, the right whereof 
he claims as Author, in the words following, to wit : 

*' Thoughts on the Scripture Account of Faith in Jesus, and 

** Life through His Name : in a Series of Letters. By Thomas 

'* Dobson/' 

In conformity to the Act of Congress of the United States, 
intitled " An Act for the Encouragement of learning by securing 
the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprie- 
tors of such copies during the times therein mentioned.'* And 
also to the Act entitled ''An Act supplementary to an Act en- 
tled ''An Act for the encouragement of learning by securing the 
copies of Maps, Charts, and Books to the authors and proprietors 
of such copies during the times therein mentioned/' And ex- 
tending the benefits thereof to the Arts of designing, engraving, 
and etching historical and other prints." 

D. CALDWELL. 

Clerk of the District 
of- Pennsylvania. 



^ ini 



'fcONTENTS. 



LETTER I. 



/3J 



Page. 
On Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God 9 

n. 

Oil the Doctrine of the Trinity, 24 

III. 

The evidence for the Doctrine of the Trinity 
considered, 32 

IV. 

On the Scripture meanings of the Title God, 58 

V. 

On the Pre-existence of Christ. — The Socinian 
Scheme, 71 

VI. 

On the Name of Jesus, and Life through his 
Name, 9 ? 



iv eONTENTS. 

VII. 

The same subject : Melchis£dec, 116 

VIII. 

On the work of Jesus Christ. — Atonement. 
— Propitiation. — Harmony of the Divine Per- 
fections, 134 

IX. 

God is Love. — ^Mistaken views of the Charac- 
ter of God, and the Work of Christ, 153 

X. 

Manifestations of the Messiah. 167 

XL 

Christ the Restorer of Life, 187 

XIL 

Life through the Name of Jesus Christ, 209 

XIIL 

The Nazarite, 224 

XIV. 

The Spirit of Meekness, 244 

XV. 
The Spirit of the Law, 269 



Ilfciaocfaa 



PREFACE, 

7 t>BOdw 



THE following letters were written with tlie 
design of exhibiting some of the most ira^ 
portant truths of Christianity, in a more simple 
and intelligible point of view than that in which 
they are commonly considered ; for it is a trutfe 
that simfiUcity and consistency strt things which are 
to be learned ; and by the want of them, the minds 
of many pious and sincere persons hav.e been 
much embarrassed. with. diSiGirltie'Sf-iarid dcftibts, 
which have greatly hindered: theiir) ei^joying the 
peace of the GospeL . • h^/. ■ .c t.. ;..5 .. .^.i; 
The Faith that Jesmis the Chns$^ the SdrC of 
God^ and the Life which believers have through hi% 
Kame^ are confessedly subjects of the greatest im- 
portance to mankind. To Christians^ no apology 
can be needed for soliciting their renewed atten- 
tion to the design with which the Life, Actions, 
and Discourses of our common Lord were record- 
ed. For such, this little book is intended j more 



Yl PREFACE. 

especially for the younger class of Christians ; 
that while they are led to learn from the Scrip- 
tures, simple and comprehensive views of Divine 
Truth, and its |plessed effects on the hearts and 
lives of those whose understandings are enlight- 
ened by the Divine Spirit, they may be warned 
against those doctrines of human invention, the 
tendency of which is unfavourable to the Christian 
progress. In attempting this latter object, it ap- 
peared proper to state concisely some doctrines 
which were considered as inconsistent with the 
harmony of Divine Truth, and at the same time 
to avoid asperity, as none was felt, against the per- 
sons who have been misled to hold these doctrines 
as true. . - ^ 

On such subjects there can be no claim to new 
di^overies, or oviginality of thought ; such 
thoup:bts as occurred in the conversations or the 
writings of others, which appeared to illustrate 
the Scriptures, have been freely used as part of a 
common stock. The repetitions which frequent- 
ly occur in the Scriptures, have properly been con- 
sidered as highly beneficial, for impressing more 
strongly on the mind, the important truths there- 
in recorded ; and what is here offered, may be 
viewed as specimens of what any Christian may 



PREFACE. Vll 

io with the Bible in his hands ; and of the advan- 
tages which may be derived from collecting into 
one view, the Scripture testimony on particular 
subjects, in order to a more consistent understand- 

ngof the whole. 

A variety of other topics might easily have been 
introduced, which would have increased the size 
of this book ; but the object in view was rather ta 
induce others to think and examine the Scrip- 
tures for themselves, that their conclusions should 
not rest on the opinions of any man ; but on the 
Wisdom of God, 

If there shall be found in these pages, errors in 
sentiment, or misrepresentations of Scripture, 
they are the faults of the author, no other person 
being implicated in, nor resporisible for them ; 
and though he does not wish for disputation -i he 
will be ready to acknowledge with t'^ankfulness, 
such friendly communications as are intended to 
make him sensible of any error. 

Philadelphia^ Jsoveinber^ 12, 1807, 



LETTERS, &c. 



LETTER I. 



On Jefus the Chrijly the Son of God* 

These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, 
the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have Life through 
his name, John xx. 31. 



A, 



. L L our knowledge of the only true Godj and 
Jefus Chrfi whom he hath fenty is derived from 
Revelation. As the Scriptures of the Old and 
New Teftament contain the records of all the 
Revelations^ of univerfal importance, which 
God hath been pleafed, at fundry times, to com- 
municate to mankind ; our knowledge of the 
charafter of our Lord Jefus Chrift, fo far ai^ 
B 



10 On Jefiis the Chnf. 

that knowledge is well founded, muft be drawn 
from that fource. 

The Scriptures teftify that jefus is The 
Christ. This Greek title correfponds with the 
Hebrew, Messiah ; and fignifies The Anoint- 
ed. The difciples of Jcfus believed that he was 
The Chrijl. They underftood that his being 
Anointed of God lukh the Holy Spirit and with 
power^ was the primary fubftance referred to by 
the typical anointings of former difpenfations. 

The Prophets v»^ere God'^s Chrifls or anointed 
ones, Pfal. cv. 15. Touch not mine anointedy do\ 
my Prophets no harm. Compare 1 Kings, xix. 
16. — EliJJja — -Jfjalt thou aftoint to be prophet in 
thy room : This anointing, was connected with a 
participation of the Spirit of the Lord, qualify- 
ing them for the office in which they were pla*! 
ced. The Spirit of Chrift ivhich was in the??!, at] 
fundry times and in divers manners, tefvfied'b'e-: 
forehand^ of the fujferings of Chrift and the Glo- 
ry that floould follow ^ 1. Pet. i. 11. 

The priefts were confecrated for the office to 
whi<:h they were appointed, by the anointing with 



Chi Jefus the Chr'ijl. 11 

oiL See among other places, Exod. xxix. 7. Thou 
Jbalt take the anointing oily and pour it upon his 
heady and anoint him. Compare Exod. xl. 13. 
15. with Levit. xvi. 32. &c. He was to be pure 
and holy in all his aftions and relations, as a 
Nazarene, to keep the charge of the fanftuary 
of God. Levit. Chap. xxi. For the crown of the 
anointing oil of his God is upofi him^ verfe 12th. 
Thus qualified he was to bear the iniquities of 
the people, to cleanfe them by the appointed 
means, to prefent their facrifiices and offerings 
before the Lord, to pronounce the ble flings on 
the obedient, and the curfes on the difobedient ; 
exactly according to the law, he was to have 
compafTion on the ignorant, and on them that 
were out of the way, to teach them out of the 
law, and to reclaim tranfgreflbrs. So fays 
Mofes, Exod. xxxiii. 10. 11. With the Urim and 
Thummim, lights and perfeftions, for judge- 
ment, They n J all teach Jacob thy JudgemeiitSy and 
Ifrael thy law ; they fh all put incenfe before thee, 
and whole burnt facrifces upoft thine altar, Blefsy 
Lordy his fubflance^ and accept the work of his 



12 On Jefiis the Chriji. 

hands ; fmite through the loins of them that rife up 
agaifiji hinty a?id of them that hate him^ that they 
iife not again. 

The Kings of Ifrael were anoi^ited ivith oil^* 
and to thofe of them who ferved the Lord, there 
was given the fpirit of their ftation. When 
Samuel, by the appointment of the Lord, 
anointed Saul to be captain over the Lord's in- 
heritance, he told him that the fpirit of the 
Lord fhould come upon him, and he fhould be 
fo changed as to become another man, which 
accordingly took place, 1 Sam. Chap. x. This 
fpirit continued, till, for his difobedience, the 
Lord rejected him. Samuel anointed David, 
and the fpirit of the Lord came upon T> avid from 
that day forward. 1 Sam. xvi. 13. The King 
was to walk in the fear of the Lord, and to rule 
by his holy, juft, and good law; and that he 
might properly underftand this rule of his con- 
duct, he was enjoined to nvrite him out a copy of the 
Laivfroin the copy in the hands of the Priefis ; and 
to read therein all the days of his lifry that he inight 
ham to fear the Lord his Gody to keep all the words 



I 



0/; Jcfus the Chrif. \% 

^f the I aw ^ andthefejlatutes to do them. He wa^ 
to exercife juftice and judgement among the 
people : he was the conftituted proteftor of the 
obedient, particularly of the poor, the widow, 
and the fatherlefs. He was to punifh evil doers^ 
tQ watch over the ftate of the kingdom, to de* 
liver the people, and to fubdue their ene* 
mies. 

Among the Heathen alfo, God had his anoint^' 
ed ones ; Hazael was anointed to execute the 
judgements of the Lord upon a wicked and dis- 
obedient people, in conjunction with Jehu, 
1 Kings, xix. 15. 17. 2 Kings, viii. 12. 13. Chap, 
xiii. 4. and Cyrus was God's anointed to reftore 
the captives, after the judgements of the Lord 
had produced their efFeft. Ifai. xlv. 1 — 6. 
Ezra i. 1 — 4. 

All thefe were the Lord's Chrijls. or anointed 
cnesy for the purpofe of performing their refpec^ 
tive parts of the will of God in the earthly ce- 
conomy, as figures of the true. But our Lord 
Jefus was anoitited with the holy fpirit and with 
pQWiVy to do the whole will of God in the fpiritual 



14 On Jejus the Chrij}. 

ceccnomy. All his works have fpiritual things 
for their Qbje£ls as the antitvpe of all the works 
of the typical anointed ones. All the Revelations 
and warnings of the Prophets ; all tlie teachings, 
cleanfings, and interceffions of the Priefts 5 the 
rulings, judgings, prote<9:ions, and conquefts 
of the kings ; the executions of judgements, and 
the reftoring of the chaftened, unite in HIM 
as in a common centre, in whom all the lines 
of the Old Teftament meet, and with one con- 
jGent proclaim him to be indeed THE CHRIST 
who was to come into the world. 

The New Teftament is full of this fubjeci. 
It may be fufhcient to mention only a few in- 
ftances. In Luke iv. 16 — 22. our Lord applies 
to himfelf the words of the Prophet, Ifai. Ixi. 
I. &c. Thefpirit of the Lord is upon me^ hecanfe 
the Lord hath anointed me to preach the Gofpel to 
the poor ; he hath fent me to heal the broken hearted j 
to preach deliverance to the captives^ and recovering 
of fight to the blifidy to fet at liberty them that are 
bruifed ; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, 
On the day of pentecoft, Peter, filled v/ith the 



On Jefus the Chr'ijl. 55 

I|oly Spirit, thus teftifi'es, Therefore let all the 
houfe of Ifrael h?ioiu ajfuredly^ that God hath fnade 
that fame Jefus^ whom ye have crucified^ both Lord 
AND Christ. Acls. ii. 36. The fame Peter, 
fent by the fpirit of God, teftiiied to the houfe- 
hold of Cornehus, that God anoirited Jefus of 
Nazareth ivith the Holy Spirit afid ivith power. 
Acls X. 38. In Heb. i. 8. 9. the Apoftle 
applies to our Lord the declaration in the 45th 
Pfalm. God^ even thy God hath afwintedthee with 
the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows. In Afts iv» 
27. 28. the company of the difciples lifted up 
their voice to God with one accord, confider- 
ing the prophecy in the fecond Pfalm verified 
in its application to the tranfaftions whereof 
they had been witnefles, arid thus exprefs them^ 
felves refpecting it. Gathered together truly were 
Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentile: and 
people of Ifrael J againfl thy holy child JefuSy whom 
•thou haft anointed to do whatfoever thy hapd^and^thy 
counfel detennimd before to be doney (this is a more 
literal reading, obvioufly exprefiing the office of 
our Lord, and not that his enem.ies had aflem- 



16 On J ejus the Chrjjl. 

bled to do the will of God.) Paul and Apollos, 
reafoning from the fcriptures of the Old Tefta- 
ment fhewed to the Jews that Jefus is the Chrijl, 
Afts xviii. 5. 28. The anointing of our Lord 
nvith the holy fpirit and ^th power ; the anti- 
type of all the attointings with oil^ of the public 
officers in the former difpenfations, was that 
which fitted and authorifed him to do whatfoever 
the hand and counfel of God determifted before to be 
done. The kings, judges, and priefts of old were 
anointed to do in a figure and in part thofe things 
which God had appointed; but with refpeft 
to our Lord Jefus, his God anointed him with the 
oil of gladnefs above his fellows; becaufe he was 
appointed to accomplifli the whole will of God, 
not in a figure, but in reality and truth. 

The Apoftles believed that Jefus was Tht^ 
Chrijl of God, Luke ix. 20. and teftified, Whofo^ 
ever believeth that Jefus is the Chrifl is born of 
God. 1 John V. 1. and fo eflentially impor- 
tant did they efteem the confeflSon of this pre- 
cious truth, that they afk, Who is a liar but he 
that denieth that Jefus is the Chrifl P Chap. ii. 22. 



On Jefus the Son of God. It 

The difciples of Jefus believed him to be 
THE SON OF GOD. The ancient Chrifts of 
God were called in a figure, Som of the Highefl^ 
Pfal. Ixxxii. 6. being his anointed fervants^ to do 
his will in the earthly kingdom and fanftuary.- 
He raifed them up, fitted them for his purpofes, 
Jind preferved them as he faw meet, in the 
performance of his will. When they died, they 
were fucceeded by others, who ftill kept up the 
figure, until He fhould come to whom they and 
their works were to give place, as fliadows, to 
the fubftance which they prefigured ; w^ho was 
to do the whole will of God in the fplritual 
kingdom^ and the true tabernacle^ which the Lord 
hath pitchedy and ?iot man ; and who was to be 
faithful as afon over his own houfe^ in thofe things 
which the faithful fervants had before teftified.^ 

Our Lord teftified of himfelf, lam the Son of 
God. John X. 36. It might therefore have been 
expeSed that his difciples would receive his 
teftimony as the truth ; more efpecially as it 
had been repeatedly declared by an audible 
voice from heaven. Firft, when he was baptized. 



18 On J ejus the Son of God. 

and went up out of the water, the heavens were 
6pened unto him, and he faw the fpirit of God 
defcending Hke a dove, and hghting upon him 5 
and lo ! a voice from Heaven, faying, This is my 
Beloved Son in nvhom I am- well pleafed^ Mat. iii. 
16. 17. John the Baptifh, feeing and hearing 
this, bare witnefs, faying, This is the Son ofGod^ 
John i. 34. 

Again, in the audience of his difciples, when 
he was transfigured before them. Mat. xvii- 
5. This is my beloved Son in whom lam well pie af- 
edy hear ye him. The difciples were eye-wit- 
nefles of his majefty, and of the honour and glo- 
ry which he received from God, the Father, 
when they heard the voice from the excellent 
glory, and teftified, 2 Peter, i. 16 — 19. and we 
haie the more conjinned the prophetic word^ (for 
fuch is the literal reading of the paflage.) 

His difciples accordingly believed and con- 
fefled this truth. Nathaniel gave his teftimony 
to the truth. Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou 
art the King of Ifrael. John i. 49. Peter declared,v 
We believe and are fur e that thou art the Chrifly 



Q?j J ejus the Son of God. 19 

tie Son of the living God, John vi. 69. Compare 
Mat. xvi, 16. 17. which teftimony our Lord 
himfelf recognizes as the revelation of his Fa- 
ther who is in heaven. Martha profefled the 
fame faith. John xi. 27. I believe that thou art 
the Chriflj the Son of Gody which Jhould come int9 
the world. 

After the refurrecStion of our Lord, the Apof- 
ties teftified this great and important truth. 
A6l:s iii. 13. 26. &c. When the Ethiopian Eu- 
nuch was guided into the fpiritual underftand- 
ing of Ifaiah's prophecy by the preaching of Phi- 
lip, he defired to be baptized, " If thou behevefl 
with all thine heart thou mayeft," faid Philip. 
He anfwered, / believe that Jefus Chrijl is the 
Son of God. Afts viii. 37. Such alfo was the 
preaching of Paul in the fynagogues, Afts. ix. 
20. and he recorded the fame truth in his epiftles 
to the churches. Rom. i. 4. 2 Cor. i. 19. 
Gal. ii. 10. Ephef. iv. 13. Heb. iv. 14. &c. 
John, in his writings gave the fame teftimony 
in repeated inftances. 



W On Jefiis the Sofi of God. 

The Lord, in Rev. iii. 14. claims the charac- 
ter of The he ginning of the Creation of God. The 
Apoftle, GoL i. 15. ftyles him the firfl horn of 
every creature, Jefus teftified that The Father 
fanBified and fent him into the nvorldj John x. 36. 
and in John xvi. 28. / came from the Father and 
am come into the worlds &c. Thefe expreffions 
may, in fome meafure, convey the idea of his 
being the Son of God before he came in the flefli; 
all of them, with many other paflages, do cer 
tainly teach us that he w^as with the Father b< 
fore the v^^orld was. But the fcriptures declare"^ 
him in a more explicit manner to be the Son of 
Gody in refpeft to his coming into the world 
and his refurre£tion from the dead. The Angel 
faid to Mary, He floall he greaty and f jail he calU 
ed the Son of the Highefl. The Holy Ghofl fiall 
come upon thee^ and the Power of the Highefl (I: all 
overfljadoiu thee^ and therefore the holy one horn of 
theefmllhe called the SON OF GOD, Luke i. 
32. 35. Compare Matt. i. 20. &c. To this 
correfpond the teftimonies from Heaven, the 
record of John the Baptift, the confeffion of the 




On Jefiis the So;i of God. 2 1 . 

difciples of Jefus before his death , and his own 
teftimony, confirmed by the words and works 
of the Father, which he manifefted by the Fa- 
ther's Commandment. 

He was declared the Son of God with ponuer^ 
according to the f pi r it of holinefs by the refurrecfion 
from the dead^ Rom. i. 4. As it is alfo \\Titten in 
the fecond Pfalm. Thou art my Son^ this d^iy 
have I begotten thee^ Acls xiii. 33. The God of 
Gur Fathers hath glorified his Son Jefus y Acts iii. 
13. &c. He is called^ The Image of the Invifthle 
God. Colof. i. 15. becaufe the doctrines and 
works which fliew us the character of the Fa- 
ther ^ are m.anifefied in him. Hence he fays, 
John X. 37. 38. If I do ?iot the iv oris of my Fa^^ 
thery believe me not : but if I do ; though ye believe 
not me J believe the works ; that ye may know and 
believe that the Father is in me^ and I in him. 
He teftified to Nicodemns, John iii. 16 — 18. God 
fo loved the wot^ld that he gave his only begotten 
Son ; that whofoever believeth in him fhould not pe- 
rifhy but have everlafing life ; for God fent not his 
Sou into th€ world to condemn the world ; but that 



22 On Jefus the Son of God. 

the world through hhn might be faved. He that he^ 
lieveth on him is not condemned ; hut he that heliev-. 
eth not is condemned already ; hecauje he hath not 
believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God* 
The expreffions, Only begotten Son of God ; God^s 
beloved Sony God^s own Son, ^c. peculiarly appli- 
ed, to our Lord Jefus Chrift, mark the diftinc- 
tion between him, and thofe who become the 
children of God by faith in Jefus Chrift. They 
are adopted children^ and the fpirit of his Son, 
whom God fends into their hearts, is in them 
the fpirit of adoption whereby they cry Abba Fa- 
ther ; Rom. viii. 15. of which the adoption per- 
taining to the Ifraelites, Rom.ix. 4. was a figure. 
The Apoftle exprefles the relation both in He- 
brew and Greek, to Ihew that the true adopted 
children, whether Jews or Gentiles, were all 
made to diink into one fpirit : as our Lord, by the 
fame expreiTion, Mark-xiv. S6. intimates the 
unity of the relation between the Father and 
him in both difpenfations. 

The diftaiguiflied preeminence which our 
Lord Jefus Chrift did and does poiTefs, over the 



On Jefus the Son of God. ^S 

Old and over the New Creation; the doftrines 
of the Father which he teaches ; the works of 
the Father which he accompliflies ; the tef- 
timony of the Father concerning him ; and the 
unfearchable fulnefs which the Father hath trea- 
fured up in him : all unite in demonftrating that 
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. 
Such was the faith of the Ancient Chriftians; 
They believed that Jefus is the Chrifl^ the Son of 
God ; and believing, they had life through his 
name. 



^4 On the DoBrine of the Trinity, 

LETTER II. 

On the DoBrine of the Trinity. 

X HE primitive fimplicity of the chriftian 
doctrines foon became obfcured by innovations, 
ariiing from miftaken views of Divine Truth ; 
and introducing certain dogmas, vi^hich have 
been extenfively received and zealoufly main- 
tained, though they do not appear to be confif- 
tent with the important and well authenticated 
truth, that Jefus is the Chrifl^ the Son of God*. 
Of this clafs feems to be the dodirine of the Tri-^ 
nityy which the Wefhminfter aflembly and other 
proteftant denominations have adopted into 
their refpeftive confeffions, or articles of faith, 
from the Roman Catholic creed afcribed to 
Athanafms. This doftrine reprefents the Mo/i 
High Gody as confifting of three diftinft per- 
fons, ftylingthem God the Father y God the Son^ 



I 



On the Doctrine of the Trinity. 25 

and God the Holy Ghojl ; of one Subfance^ Power j 
and Eternity ; each of which perfons is declar*- 
ed to be in himfelf completely The Mojl High 
Gody Immutable^ Eternal^ Infinite in being and 
perfeBions. Yet that thefe three perfons^ each 
of whom is in himfelf truly and properly God 
in the higheft fenfe \ confidered colleilively, 
are only one Gody fo that one Infinite being is 
three Infinite beings, and three Infinite beings 
conftitute only one Infinite being. This is 
fometimes called Unity in Trinity and Trinity in 
Unity^ fometimes The Triune God. The Trini- 
ty is confidered as admitting the numerical dif- 
tincSlion of firft, fecond, and third perfons 5 
though the doftrine declares that none of thefe 
perfons is before or after another j but that 
they are co-equal, and co-eternal y the fame in 
fubflance, equal in Power and Glory. Of thefe 
three, the Lord Jefus is called the fecond per- 
fon in the Trinity ; being Fery and Eternal 
Gody of the fame fubfiancey and equal with God the 
Father, He is faid to have taken upon him 

man's nature y fo that two whole, perfed, and 
D 



26 On the DoBritie of the Trinity. 

diftinft natures, the Godhead and the Man- 
hood, were infeparably joined together in one 
perfon, which perfon is Very God, and very^ 
man ( hence called God-Man : ) yet one ChriJIj 
or one Anointed ; and this one anointed per- 
fon, in ivhoin the divine and human natures were 
infeparably joined together, — fufFered, and — 

died ! By his obedience and 

death, God the Son^ is faid to have fully ap- 
peafed the ivrath^ and to h'3iVt fatisfed the jufice 
of God the Father, He is faid to have purchafed 
the reconciliation of God the Father to man — pur^ 
chafed Pardon — purchafed 'Eternal Life — nay 
even to have purchafed God the Holy Ghofly from 
God the Father ! 

Were not the faft fo notorious, that this doc- 
trine is very generally maintained with great 
zeal, while the important truth, that Jefus is 
the Chriflj the Son of Godj which the holy fpirit 
has fo explicitly teftified, is too often only re- 
ceived with a cold and liftlefs aflent j a chriftian, 
who feeks only in the Scriptures for informa- 
tion concerning the things of God, would fure- 



On the DoBrine of the Trinity. 27 

iy think it very ftrange that the do£trine of the 
Trinity fhould ever be efteemed a leading princi- 
ple in Chrijiianity. Yet this doftrine has long 
been, and now is, very zeaioully maintained by 
many very valuable chriftians, whofe piety and 
fmcerity are unqueftionable. Our Heavenly Fa- 
ther, whofe compaflions fail not, will recover, 
and bring home to himfelf, his bewildered chil- 
dren. — ^The humble heart that aiks in faith, will 
never feek his face in vain — but their errors 
will not profit them. They have embraced this 
doftrine as they were taught in early life, and 
taught to confider it as a fubjedl; too facred for 
inquiry, and that inquiry muft be fruitlefs, be- 
Gaufe the doftrine itfelf was incomprehenfible. 
It is probable that this doftrine grew by de- 
grees to its prefent flate of inextricable per- 
plexity ; and very likely arofe at firft from feri- 
ous, though mifdire£):ed zeal for the Glory of 
God. We certainly know that it is now main- 
tained, by many of its advocates, from the bed 
motives, who thereby mean to glorify the Sa- 
viour ; although he did not defire to receive ho- 



28 On the DoBrine of the Trinity. 

nour of human contrivance : but fuch incompre- 
henfible paradoxes, however pioufly Intended, 
have done much evil, they have covered the 
precious teftimony of God with a thick and per- 
nicious veil of myftery, which darkens that 
which God had made clear, and represents as 
crooked that which he had made ftraight. Such 
indeed is likely to be the cafe when men at- 
tempt to refine upon the Wifdom of God. How- 
ever good their intentions at firft, they become 
vain in their imaginations ; their foolijh hearts he- 
come darkened ; profejftng themf elves to he ivife^ they 
become fools. Thofe who follow them, inftead 
of being led into light and wifdom, have their 
underftandings comparatively darkened ; being 
embarrafled in obfcurity and difficulties, they 
ftumble, not knowing whither they go \ whilft 
the Revelation which they profefs to believe, 
and many of them fincerely prize, thus mifre- 
prefented, is expofed to fcoffing and derifion 
from thofe who rejeft Revelation •, and which 
its advocates, when thus embarrafled, are una- 
ble to repel. Indeed nothing has fo much con- 



On the Doctrine of the Trinity, 29 

tributed to expofe Chriftianity (which in its na- 
tive purity is perfeftly rational) to this fcoffing 
and derifion, as maintaining certain doclrines 
which in reahty are no part of chriftianity, to 
be radical and eflential principles of it, and 
which are, at the fame time, of fuch a nature 
that the reafon and common fenfe which God 
hath given to mankind muft revolt at. Of this 
kind feem to be the doctrine of the Trinity, 
with its peculiar appendages ; and the doftrines 
of the annihilation, or of the eternal mifery of 
part of mankind. Doftrines which muft have 
their origin in the wifdom of man, for they are 
not to be found in the Records of the Wifdotn of 
God. 

There is another fcheme of the doftrine of 
the Trinity which may have arifen out of that al- 
ready mentioned, and is now embraced by fome 
very pious perfons, whofe minds of courfe are 
in fome meafure darkened thereby -, for fome 
degree of darknefs of mind is the natural confe- 
quence of receiving any of the fchemes of hu- 
man wifdom in place of any of the doctrines of 



so On the DoBrine of the Trinity, 

God. This fcheme has fome refemblance to 
the doftrlne taught by Sabellius, an Egyptian 
Philofopher, about 1500 years ago, and is fome- 
what to this efFe£t : that there is only one Su- 
preme God, who is at once Father, Son and 
Holy Ghoft, that thefe names are not expref- 
five of perfonal diftinftions ; there being no plu- 
rality of perfons in the Deity \ but they are oe- 
conomical titles, or names of the fame Being 
in different charafters. The fame one God, 
in the charafter of Father, fends himfelf, in 
the charafter of Son, and anoints himfelf, in 
the charafter of Holy Ghoft. That this one 
God, in the charafter of Son, aflumed the hu- 
man nature into union with the divine nature, 
and in that capacity, fulfilled the demands and 
fufFered the penalty of his own law. That by 
dying, in the character of Son, in obedience to 
himfelf in the charafter of Father, he render- 
ed a perfetl: fatisfaftion to all that he himfelf, 
in the character of Father, by his law required. 
Suffering the curfe of his own law, he purged 
the human nature. The Eternal God, in the 



On the Doctrine of the Trinity. SI 

charafter of Son — died ! — that he might re- 
deem and raife human nature. That Jefus 
Chrift is the only one Eternal God ; being Fa- 
ther, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in one perfon with 
the humanity. 

There are ieveral diiFerent fliades, or varie- 
ties in this fcheme, differing but little from one 
another, and generally agreeing in endeavour- 
ing to illufhrate this view of the Trinity by com- 
paring It to the foul, body, and operation in 
man, and to the root, ftem and branches in a 
tree ; thefe being confidered as eflentials, con- 
ftituting one man, and one tree ; as figures, or 
images of the Supreme God, who is at once 
Father, Son and Holy Ghoft in one perfon, 
manifefted in the one or the other charafter as 
occafion may require. — To what ftrange lengths 
does the invention of man run ! Seeking to find 
out or to make incomprehenfible myfteries, and 
then attempting to explain what is inexplicable ! 
and that too, in fubje£ts which the wifdom of 
God has exhibited with fuch plainnefs and fim- 
plicity that he may run who readeth. 



3-2 Evidence for the Trinity confidered. 



LETTER III. 

. The Evidence for the DoElrine of the Trinity 
confidered. 

X HE advocates for whatever has been taught 
as a doftrine of Ghriftianity, have very proper- 
ly appealed to the Scriptures for its truth ; be- 
caufe, if it is really true, the Scripture is the 
proper fource from vi^hich it is dravi^n, and the 
proper authority to fupport it. If what was 
held for truth, however, was really an error, 
which has fometimes been the cafe \ the belief 
of it by the beft men, however fincere, could 
not make it true •, nor could the greateft learn- 
ing and ingenuity, in attempting to prove it 
from the Scriptures, ever make that a right ap- 
plication of the Sacred Record. 

The believers in the doftrine of the Trinity 
have not been backward in quoting paffages oi 



Evidence for the Trinity conftdered. 3^'' 

Scripture in fupport of its truth ; and there is 
no reafon to doubt of their fincerely believing 
that fuch was the real meaning of the texts ci- 
ted, and that of courfe they proved the truth of 
the doftrine maintained. This is unqueftiona- 
ble ; becaufe they had no more intereft in be- 
ing miftaken than their brethren, v/ho differed 
from them in opinion, but were not more infal- 
lible than themfelves. There can be no doubt 
that the confcientious of different perfuafions, 
aft honeftly according to their knowledge in* 
holding fuch opinions ; but where the fentiments 
are diametrically oppofite, it is impoffible that 
they can both be true ; and we certainly 
know that error or miftake, in important fub- 
jefts, is not a matter of indifference, when the 
means of knowing the truth are in our own 
power. Let us then candidly confider thofe 
paffages of Scripture which have generally been 
applied to as proofs of the doftrine of the Tri- 
nity, not with a view to condemn thofe who 
think differently, for this the Chriftian fpirit 

does not authorize ; but tp inquire whether 
E 



34? Evidence for the Trinity conftdered» 

they do not furnifh us with more rational and 
confiftent, and therefore better information. 

In the confeflion of Faith and Catechifms, 
publifhed by the Prefbyterian church in the Uni- 
ted States, which pretty much correfpond with 
thofe of the Weftminfter Affembly; in Chap. 2. 
Se£l. 3d. and Larger Catechifm, Queftion 9th. 
feveral texts of Scripture are quoted as proofs 
of the do£trine of the Trinity ; which, from 
their having been felefted by men of great pie- 
ty and learning, in ancient and modern times, 
may be confidered as having been efteemed the 
moft decifive evidence which could be produced 
in proof of that dodlrine. The firft of thefe is 
1 John V. 7. For there are three that bear re^ 
cord in Heaven y the Father^ the Word^ and the Ho^ 
ly Ghojly and thefe three are one. The inquiry 
will naturally be. In what refpeft are thefe 
three one ? Are they one perfon ? One fcheme 
of the Trinity fays, Tes : Jefus Chrifi is Father^ 
Son and Holy Ghofl^ in one perfon^ one indivi- 
dual being. There are no perfonal diflinftions 
in Deity, for God is one ; and this one God is 



Evidence for the Trinity corjidered, 35 

Jefus CHrift. This account^ which feems to be 
a mixture of truth and error, is denied by the 
other fcheme, which fays, No : Tkefe three are 
indeed one fubjlance or ejfence \ one God; hut not 
oneperfon ; for God the Father is the firjl perfon^ 
God the Son is the fecond perfon^ and God the Holy 
Ghoji is the third perfon in the Trinity. The text, 
ho\vever, fays not one word about the Father, the 
Word, and the Holy Ghoft, being ofiefubjlance 
or ejjence^ or one Gody or three perfonSy or one per^ 
fon. What then ? Simply that thefe three are one^ 
and the only point of unity fpoken of in the text 
is, unity in bearing record ; or that they are thr^e 
witneiTes who agree in their teftimony \ as the 
next verfe, which may be confidered as a pro- 
per illuftration of this, declares that the Spirit 
and the Water ^ and, the Bloody bearing luitnefs on 
earthy agree in one tejiiniony. We do certain- 
ly know that the Spirit, and the Water, and the 
Blood, are neither one Godj nor one fubjjancey nor 
one perfon y nor three perfons \ but three ivitnejfesy 
who agree in one tefimony. That Jfus Chrifi is 
the Son of Gody and that he ca7?ie by water and 



So Evidence for the Trinity conjldered, 

bloody and it is thefpirit which heareth witnefsy be-- 
caiije thefpirit is the truth. The believers in this 
teftimony overcome the ivorld. 

It has been often faid that part of the 7th 
and 8th verfes v/as not in the original, but af- 
terwards introduced \ and that the true read- 
ing was, There are three that hear record^ the Spi- 
rity and the Water ^ and the Bloody and thefe three 
agree in one.. ErofefTor MichaeUs fhews, that the 
celebrated Martin Luther would never fufFer it 
to be otherwife printed in his German tranfla- 
tipn of the New Teftament, while he lived, and 
that the laft edition printed in his lifetime, 
1546, in which he publifhed his caveat againft 
any alterations being made in it, read this paf- 
fage as above ftated ^ but after his death, the 
printers of his New Teftament difregarded Lu- 
ther's w-arning j and in the edition of Frankfort, 
1574, firft introduced the 7th and 8th verfes as 
we now read them. The beft and moft learn- 
ed critics have been of Luther's opinion, that 
from the words, in heaven ^ verfe 7 th, to the 
words, in. earthy verfe 8th, both inclufive, was 



Evidence fir the Trinity conftdered, 37 

not in the original, and is wanting in the moft 
ancient and befi: efleemed Greek manufcripts 
that are known. Indeed from the fubjecl itfelf 
there feems to be fome reafon for this opinion ; 
for v/ho can we fuppofe to be in Heaven to 
whom this record-bearing is needful ? Can wc. 
fuppofe any one there to have doubts of j^fas 
bding the Chrijl^ the Son of Gody and that he cams 
by Water and Blood ? But waving this criticifm, 
it is plain that the only thing teftified of the Fa-s 
ther, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft, in the 
text is, that thefe three are united in the record 
which they bear, as the Spirit, and the Water, 
and the Blood are united in the witnefs which 
they bear-, but not one word about their being ona 
Gody compofed of three Divine y Co-equaly Co-eternal 
Perfons. It feems difficult to conceive how this 
paffage fhould ever have been deemed fufceptible 
of fuch a conftruction, unlefs the underftanding 
of the reader were previoufly warped from the 
fimple perception of Divine Truth, by the in- 
fluence of prejudice in favour of the doctrine of 
the Trinity, which had been imprefied on the 



3B Evidence for the Trinity corifidered, 

mind by the authority of teachers in early life, 
at which period we know that imprefiions of er- 
ror take at leaft as deep root as thofe of truth. 
The fecond proof adduced is Matth. iii. 16. 
17. — And JefuSy when he ivas baptized , went up 
Jiraightway out of the water ; and loy the heavens 
ivere opefted unto him^ and he faw thefpirit of God 
defending like a dove^ and lighting upon him : and 
lo ! a voice from Heaven^ faying^ this is my be^ 
loved Sony in whom I am well pleafed. Were it 
not that what we are accuftomed to ceafes to 
aftonifh us, and the fafl is fo well known that 
this paflage is actually brought as a proof of the 
doftrine of a Trinity of co-equal co-eternal per- 
fons confifting of God the Father, God the Son, 
and God the Holy Ghoft ; it might juftly be 
thought very ftrange that this paflage of Scrip- 
ture fhould ever be applied to this purpofe. It 
is true the names, Jefus^ God, and Spirit of 
Gody occur in this paflage, and the do6lrine of 
the Trinity ftyles Jefus Chrift Very and Eternal 
Gody of the fame fubflahce^ and equal with the 
Father. Was the V^ry and Eternal Gody baptiz- 



Evidence for the Triftity confideved. 3^ 

ed by the fufFerance and by the hands of a man ? 
Is it poffible to believe that God the Son was on 
earth, and that God the Holy Ghoji came down 
from Heaven from God the Father^ and aHghted 
upon God the Son upon earth, who had jufl 
come up out of the water wherein he had been 
baptized by John the Baptift, and that the God 
and Father of God the Son declared by a voice 
from Heavefl that God the Son was his beloved 
Son ; and at the fame time to believe that thefe 
three, fo remarkably diftinguifhed, are one 
Gody the fame infuhftance^ equal in Power and Glo- 
ry P That thefe things are poffible to be believ- 
ed appears from their being really believed and 
zealoufly maintained ; but the ideas neceflarily 
included in an application of this paflage to fup- 
port the doctrine of the Trinity, do not appear 
to be authorifed by the fcriptures. How will 
this paflage fupport the other fcheme of the 
Trinity, which fuppofes Jefus Chrift to be the 
only True God, and as being at once Father, 
Son, and Holy Ghoft in one perfon ? Was the 
only True God really baptized in water by the 



40 S.vide7ice for the Trinky ccnftdercd. 

hands of a man ? Did he defcend from himfelf 
from Heaven, and alight upon himfelf upon 
earth ? Did he proclaim from himfelf in Hea- 
ven refpefting himfelf upon earth, This is my- 
beloved Sortj in ivhom I am well pleafed P Thefe 
feem ftrange queftions ; but do they not natu- 
rally arife from fuch attempts to prove the one 
or the other fcheme of the Trinity ? It feems 
hardly poffible to fuppofe any thing of the kind 
ftK)re improper than the application of thefe paf- 
fages of Scripture to fuch a purpofe. 

It would furely be no eafy matter for a Chrif- 
tian of unperverted mind to underftand Matth,' 
iii. 16. 17. otherwife than as a plain teftimony 
that Jefus Chrijl is the Son of God, declared to be 
fuch by the voice from Heaven ; that the God and Fa-- 
iher of our Loi'd Jefus Chrijl gave his Holy Spirit 
to his beloved Sony in whom he declared himfelf to be 
tvell pleafed \ and that the fpirit of God^ defending 
from Heaven like a dove, lighted upon him ; but 
furely there is not in the text the fmalleft inti- 
mation that the Father^ the Son, and the Holy 
Spirit^ are each of them God in the highejl fenfe ; 



Evidence for the Trinity conjidered. 41 

that they are three Divine PerfonSy of the fame 
fiilflance^ power and eternity^ and that thefe three 
perfo?2S are one Gody or that thefe three are one in- 
dividual being. 

The third proof of the doftrine of the Trini- 
ty is Matth. xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore and teach 
all nations^ baptizing them in the name of the Fa- 
ther^ and of the &«, and of the Holy Ghof. In 
this text there is not one word of the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, being three Di- 
vine Perfons, nor of each of them being God, 
nor of the three being one God, nor of their 
being of one fubftance, power, and eternity. 
Yet thefe are the very points which it is 
brought forward to prove. In the 18th verfe, 
our Lord himfelf has eiFeftually obviated all 
idea of equahty, whether men beheve him or 
not \ by declaring that all power in heaven and 
in earth was given to him. Thereby fhewing 
what he always declared, that it was not by 
any power or authority originally his own that 
he acted ; but always by the authority which 
his God a fid Father had given to him. In virtue 
F 



42 Evidence for the Trinity confidered, 

of this pov/er v/hich was given to him, he com- 
manded his apoftles to go and difciple all the 
nations, baptizing them in the name, &c. 

The only argument from this text is drawn 
from the three names being mentioned, into 
which believers or difciples were to be baptized. 
One fcheme of the Trinity maintains that thefe 
three names are characters of one individual 
being, not of three perfons, for Jefus Chrift is 
Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in one perfon. 
This interpretation is rejefted by the other 
fcheme, which maintains that the three names 
are defcriptive of three Divine Perfons •, each 
of whom is in himfelf ftri£lly and properly 
God in the higheft fenfe of the term, and that 
thefe three, colleftively, are one God. The 
Name may be underftood to fignify the charac- 
ter, or by the authority of. An argument has 
been attem.pted by both fchemes from the 
words in the name^ being only once ufed in the 
text, to fhew that the one name God belongs, 
as a common name, to the Father, the Son, 
and the Hojy Ghoft. This will appear to be to- 



Evidence for the Trinity confidered, 43 

tally without foundation, by confidering that 
the form of expreffion here ufed merely pre- 
vents needlefs repetition, and is in fuch common 
ufe in every language as to leave no room for 
the fmalleft ambiguity, for inftance, in Matth. 
xxiii. 23. our Lord fays to the Pharifees, ye pa'j 
tithe of mint and anife and cummin. Every read- 
er underftands it precifely in the fame way as 
if it had been exprelTed thus ; ye pay tithe of 
minty and ye pay tithe of anife^ and ye pay tithe 
of cummin ; fo in the prefent inftance, the ex- 
preffions ufed are perfeftly equivalent to ifito 
the name of the Father^ and into the name of the 
Sony and into the name of the Holy Ghof^ and ap- 
pear admirably calculated to exprefs the cha- 
rafter, authority, and defign, of the three mani- 
feftations of Divine Goodnefs, which were now 
to be exhibited to mankind, as united in Jefus 
Chrift ; in whom all the Difpenfations of God 
harmonize in the great work of cleanfing man- 
kind from their fins ; which is the exprefs ob- 
ject of the emblem in Baptifmal walhings, in 
all the three difpenfations. 



44 Evidence for the Trinity confidered. 

The firft of thefe difpenfations was that 'of 
the Father in the Law and by the Prophets ; by 
whom God at fundry times ^ and in divers man» 
nersy /pake in times pajl to the Fathers ; giving 
them thofe gracious Promifes which were the 
grounds of that faith whereby they obtained a 
good reportj^ the fulfilment of which was fha- 
do wed forth by typical emblems, in the hope 
of which fulfilment, they died, confidently 
looking for a better country v/hich is a heavenly. 
The Apoftles teftified none other things than 
thofe which Mofes and the Prophets did fay 
fliould come. 

The fecond was the perfonal miniftry of the 
Son of God on earth, who came not to dejlroy the 
Law and the Prophets^ but to fulfil. By him 
the authority and character of the former dif- 
penfation were recognized. He came to mani- 
feft the fame Divine Goodnefs, in the very way 
iji which the Law and the Prophets had teftified 
concerning him. He manifefted the Glory of the 
only begotten of the Father^ full of Grace and 



Evidence for the Trinity ionfidered. 45 

Truth. He came not to dejiroy the world but t& 
Jave the nvorld* 

The third was the miniftration of the Holy- 
Spirit, which began on the day of Pentecoft 
after the refurreftion of Jefus Chrift ; by which 
the Apoftles were endued with power from oa 
high, to preach unto* all the nations. Repen- 
tance and forgivenefs of fins, through the name 
of Jefus. The office of the fpirit was to con- 
vift the world of Sin, and of Righteoufnefs and 
of Judgement. Harmonizing with the other dif- 
penfations, explaining them, and fhewing that 
they all flowed from the fame principle of In- 
finite Goodnefs, and were carrying forward by 
Jefus Chrift to the fame Glorious end, until 
God Ihall have accomplifhed that end in the re- 
conciliation of all things by Jefus Chrift to him- 
fclf. 

Thefe three Divine difpenfations are united 
in the character and work of our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, to whom all Power in Heaven and in 
Earth is given for the very purpofe of fulfilling 
the good pleafure of God which he had purpof- 



46 Evidence for the Trinity conftdered. 

ed in himfelf, of reuniting all things under Je- 
fus Chrift, and reconciling all things by Jefus 
Chrift to himfelf. Hence, baptizing in the name 
of the Father, and in the name of the Son, and 
in the name of the Holy Spirit, appears to be 
properly performed by baptizing in the name 
of the Lord Jefus Chrift, in whom thefe three 
difpenfations are united. That this was the way 
in which; the Apoftles, direfled by the Holy 
Spirit, underftood our Lord's command, may 
appear from their uniform practice, recorded 
in the book of Afts. There is not one inftance 
recorded there of any perfon having ever been 
been baptized under the form of words now in 
ufe ; but always in the name^of^the Lord Jefus 
Chrift •, and accordingly in the epiftles, where 
there is a reference to Baptifm, it is mentioned 
as being baptized into Jefus Chrifiy baptized into 
his death J buried with him in baptifm, 

2 Cor. xiii. 14. The Grace of our Lord Je^ 
fus Chrifiy and the Love of Gody and the commu^ 
nion of the Holy Ghofl be with you ally amen. This 
text ^ is likewife cited to prove the do£lrine of 



Evidence for the Trinity conftdered. 47 

the trinity in unity; for what reafon does not 
clearly appear, unlefs it be becaufe the names 
Jefus Chrijl^ God and Holy Ghojl are mentioned 
in it. It feems not to have been noticed that 
Jefus Chrif^ and God are fpoken of as diftindl 
from one another. Whoever reads this whole 
epiftle w^ith unprejudiced mind, will furely not 
underftand this text as teaching that the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghoft are each of them 
individually the mofl high God, and that the 
three together are the mof high God, and for 
this obvious reafon, that the text fays nothing 
about it. In the fourth verfe of this chapter 
the Apoftle declares that Jefus Chri/i was cruci- 
fied through iveahnefsy but he liveth by the Ponver 
of God. The do&rine of the T^rinity, however, 
attempts to obviate this difficulty, by faying 
that it was the Human Nature of Chri/i which 
was crucified through weaknefs, but liveth by 
the power of God ; but this introduces a dilem- 
ma, not lefs embarrafllng than the difficulty..^ 
which it was meant to obviate ; for as the 
Apoftle, in the text, does not fpeak of any 



4& Evidence for the Trinity conftdered, 

fuch diftinftion of Natures ; it would not be 
afting confiftently to view the fourth verfe in 
this way without viewing the third and fifth 
verfes in the fame way. How would it do to 
read the third verfe xh.\xs^ fmce ye feek a proof of 
the Human Nature cf Chrijl fpeaking in me ? and 
again in verfe fifth, knonv ye not your own f elves y 
that the human nature of Jefus Chrifl is in you ex^ 
cept ye he reprobates F Would it not appear like a 
burlefque on the Apoftle's writing ? and yet to 
be confiftent, fuch reading would be unavoida- 
ble. 

If by the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrifl^ we 
iinderftand that gracious condefcenfion where- 
by he who was Rich for our Sakes became 
poor> that we by his poverty might become 
rich, which the Apoftle ftates in this fame epif- 
tle, Chap. viii. ver. 9. as the pattern for us to 
follow. And if by the Love of God, we under- 
ftand that manifeftation of himfelf in Chrift, 
reconciling the world unto himfelf, not impu- 
ting their trefpafles unto them, that they might 
be led to the exercife of love tor God, and thenf 



Evidence for the Trinity confidered, 49 

neighbour, and if by the Communion of the Holy 
Spirity we underftand that joint participation of 
the Divine Spirit which produces Heavenly- 
mindednefs. Humility and Love, we will much 
better perceive the excellence of the Apoftolic 
benediftion, than by feeking in it for a proof 
of the Doftrine of the Trinity, which it furely 
was never intended to teach. 

Another paflage cited to prove the doftrine 
of the Trinity is John x. 30. / and my Father 
are one. In this chapter, our Lord, in his figu- 
rative manner of teaching, declares that he is 
the good Shepherd, who loveth the fheep and 
giveth his Soul (fo the word fignifies) for them, 
. At the 24th verfe the Jews had faid. If thou be 
the Chrijly tell us plainly. Jefus anfwered them, 
I told '^ou before and ye believed not ; the works that 
I do in my Father^ s name^ they hear witnefs of me; 
hut ye believe noty hecaufe ye are not of my fheepy 
as I faid wtto you. My fheep hear my voice^ and 
I know themy and they follow me j and I give un^ 
to them eternal Lfe; and they fh all never perifhy 
neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand. My 
G 



' 



50 Evidence for the Trinity conftdered. 

Father^ who gave them to me^ is greater than all ; 
and none is able to pluck them out of my Father^ s 
hand. I and my Father are one. The Jews then 
took up ftones to ftone him, and on his aflcing 
them for which of the good works which he 
had fliewed them from his Father they meant 
to ftone him ? They anfwered, for a good work 
we Jione thee not ; hut for blafphemy ; and that 
thou being a man makcjl thy f elf God, Jefus did 
not make himfelf God \ but faid, / am the Son 
of God, That the Jews miftook the meaning of 
our Lord, and hated him without a caufc, is ve- 
ry evident, and will be generally acknowledged 
by Chriftians ; but that Chriftians, after reading 
flic anfwer of our Lord, Ihould adopt precifely 
the fame miftake of the Jews, by fuppofing 
tliat he made himfelf Gody feems very ft range 
indeed. This was not the only miftake of the 
kind which the Jews made. This evangelift re- 
lates in the 5th chapter, that Jefus had cured 
an impotent man on the Sabbath day, therefore 
did the Jews perfecute Jefus and fought to flay 
him, becaufe he had done thefe tilings on the 



Evidence for the Trinity confidered. ;> 1 

Snbbath day ; but Jefus anfwered them, My 
Father ivorheth hitherto^ and I %uork. Therefore 
the Jews fought the more to flay him ; becaufe 
he had not only broken the Sabbath y but faid alfo that 
God uuas his Father^ making himfelf equal luith 
God. Any one who will read this fifth chapter 
without prejudice, may fee what pains the 
Lord himfelf took to fhew the Jews that he 
claimed ?io fuch equality ; but as he had elfe where 
fhewed that it was lawful to do well on the 
Sabbath day, and therefore healing the fick was 
no breach of the Sabbath, fo here he declared 
that the Son could do nothing of himfelf and that 
all the power which he poflefled was given him 
by the Father. In like manner, in this tenth 
chapter, he fhews himfelf to be the voluntary 
fervant of the Father, afting in all things by his 
commandment, and referring to the works of 
the Father which he did, as the evidence that the 
Father dwelt in the Son^ and the Son in the Fa- 
ther. As the Apoftle teftifies of Chriftians, He 
that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God, and 
God in him. 1 John iv. 16. The expreflion, 



52 Evidence for the Trinity cofiftdercd, 

verfe 30th, land my Father are one^ if under* 
flood as the doftrine of the Trinity ftates it, 
would form an exception to the whole of the 
context, and indeed to the whole of the Scrip- 
tures \ for he fays, verfe 29, My Father who gave 
them to me is greater than all ; and in this not 
even the Son is excepted ; for in Chap. xiv. 28. 
exprefTing the fame truth, he fays, 7ny Father 
is greater than /, and in verfe 36. of this chap- 
ter we learn from himfelf that the Father fanEli" 
fled and fent the Son into the ivorld. The unity 
of the Father and Son therefore plainly appears 
from the fcope of the paflage to denote their be- 
ing united in their care and love of the Sheep, 
to whom the Son giveth eternal Life by the ap- 
pointment of the Father, and the Father who 
is greater than all, takes fuch care of them, that 
none is able to pluck them out of his hand. But 
there is not in all the paflage, nor indeed in the 
whole Divine teftimony, the fmalleft intima- 
tion that the Father and the Son, and the Ho- 
ly Spirit, are each of them God in the highefl 
fenfe of the term, and that the three are one 



Evidence for the Trinity confide red. 53 

God, which are the very points, to eftablifh 
which the text was quoted. 

ColoiT. ii. 9. For in him dwell eth all the ful- 
nefs of the Godhead bodily This is viewed as one 
of the proofs of our Lord being the Supreme 
God. The faireft and beft way of underftand- 
ing any pafTage of Scripture is by confidering 
it in the connection in which tlie Wildom of 
God has placed it, which will always be found 
in perfecl: harmony with the whole of tlie Sa- 
cred volume. In this epiftle, the Apoftle, con- 
fiftently with ail his other writings, diftinguifh- 
es between our Lord Jefus Chrif^ and the God 
and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrjjj, Hence in 
Chap. i. 3. he ftyles God, the Father of our 
Lord Jefus Chrif ; ivho hath delivered us from the 
power of darlinefs and tr a? fated us into the King- 
dom of his dear Son, verfe 12. 13. who is the Ln- 
age of the Invifible God, ver. 15. It pleafed the 
Fatk/r that in himfhould all fulnefs dwell ; that 
having made peace through the blood of his Crofs^ 
he might by him reconcile all things to himfelf 
ver. 19.20. This expreffion, in him dwelleth all 



54f Evidence for the Trinity con/idered. 

thefulnefs of the Godhead bodily^ Chap. ii. 9. re- 
fers plainly to the all fulnefs which the Father 
faw meetfhould dwell in Chrifly Chap. 1. 19. and 
is precifely the fame Truth, in other words, 
which our Lord had exprefled, Matth. xxviii. 
18. All Power (or authority) is given unto me 
in Heaven and in Earthy and when he faid, Matth. 
xi. 27. and Luke x. 22. All things are delivered to 
me of my Father, We do not read in the Scrip- 
ture that all thefulnefs of the Godhead dnvelleth ift 
the Father ; becaufe in every correft idea which 
we can have of the Father, we contemplate 
every perfeftion in Him as the Original Self-ex- 
iftent Fountain of all Perfeftion \ but all the 
Fulnefs and Perfedtion which the Son poflefles, 
according to his own teftimony, is not original- 
ly hi^ own ; but given to Him by the Father. As 
Chriftians have nothing good originally their 
own ; but all that Fulnefs and Perfe£l:ion which 
it is poffible for them to poflefs is derived from 
Chrift, in whom it pleafed the Father that all 
Fulnefs fhould dwell for that very purpofe, 
Hence the Apoftle fays, ye are complete (or have 



Evidence for the Trinity confidered. 55 

yourfuhiefsj in Him, which in another paflage, 
he exprefles by being ^//W with all thefulnefs of 
Gody Ephef. iii. 19. In this fame chapter, the 
Apoftle fpeaks of Chrift being crucified^ deady 
buried y rifen : none of which things are poffible 
to be true of the only true God, nor is it poffi- 
ble to be true of the only true God, that he is the 
Chri/lj t)r Anointed, Again Chap. iii. 1. The 
Apoftle fays, Chrifl fitteth at the right hojid of 
God, and that our life is hid with Chrift in God, 
and that our thanks are to be given to the Father 
by Chrift : he reprefents him as the head and 
us the members, as he elfewhere fays, the head 
of every man is Chrift and the head of Chrift is 
Gody 1 Cor. xi. 3. Thus in the fcope of this 
Epiftle, harmonizing with the whole Sacred 
Record, the Apoftle clearly diftinguifhes be- 
tween Chrift and the God and Father of Chrift, 
In this fecond chapter, the doclrine which the 
Apoftle teaches could not be true if Chrift were 
the Supreme God. How could they be crucifi- 
edy deady and rifen with Hiniy if He is the Self 
exiftent God ? The Apoftle exhorts the Chrif- 



56 Evidence for the Trinity confidered, 

tians, as they have received Chrift Jefus the 
Lord, fo to walk in him, becaufe all the 
Godhead, or all fulnefs, dwells in him, for 
the very purpofe of reconciling all things unto 
God by him ; that he is the head of all princi- 
paHty and power, and that Chriftians have their 
fulnefs in him, and (hews how they have all 
their perfeftion \ by being circumcifed by him 
with the circumcifion made without hands, 
buried with him, rifen with him, quickened by 
him, forgiven by him, delivered from the Law, 
united to him, the living head, as mem- 
bers of his body deriving their nourifhment 
from him, and increafing with the increafe of 
God. This is very different from teaching that 
Jefus Chrift is the Supreme God. 

There are many other paflages of Scripture 
which have been urged as evidences of the doc- 
trine of the Trinity •, every one of which admits 
of an eafy and fatisfa£lory folution, confiftent- 
ly with the conneftion in which it ftands, and 
with the whole fcope of the Scripture ; for 
there is no difcordante in the word of God. 



Evidence for the Trinity confidered, 57 

There does not appear one fingle inftance of 
any paflage in the whole Scripture, which 
either exprefsly, or by fair and juft inference, 
teaches any thing like the doftrine of the Trini- 
ty ; and if there is no evidence of its being in- 
tionally taught in the Sacred Record, it is not 
likely to enlighten, but rather to darken the 
minds of thofe who receive it ; and inftead of 
increafing their faith and comfort, rather to 
corrupt their minds from the Simplicity that is 
in Chrift •, by leading their attention to the tra- 
ditions of men, inftead of the Scripture account 
of the Character of the only true Gody and Je- 
Jus Chrijl whom he hathfent. 



H 



5S Scripture meaning of the title God. 



LETTER IV. 

On the Scripture meaning of the title GOD* 

JVlUCH ftrefs has been laid upon a circum- 
ftance, which is indeed, very plain in the Scrip- 
tures ; but which when viewed otherwife than 
as the Scriptures have ftated it, has mifled 
many. There are many things fpoken of in the 
Scriptures as the works of God, which are re- 
ally fuch ; and the fame things are faid to be 
done by Jefus Chrift, which is equally true. 
The inference drawn from thefe is that Jefus 
Chi-yi is Gcdy and that if he is God, then he is 
eqi^al with the Father » The miftake feems to be 
in not confidering that God accomplifhes his 
works by Jefus Chrift, -who is the Son and Ser- 
vant of God. So he himfelf reprefents it. Ma~ 
ny good works have If jewed you from my Father, 
John X. 32. again, / f7iu/} work the works of 



Scripture meaning of the title God. 59 

kirn thatfent nie ; again, as the Father gave me com- 
mandment^ even Jo Id/); again, / have kept my 
Father's commandment ; again, 1 have jinijhed the 
work which thou gavejl me to do^ ^c. is'c. isfc. 
Perhaps a miftaken view of the import and 
Scriptural ufe of the title God, may have been 
part of the origin of this doclrine, which has 
fo much mifled many very ferious fouls \ puz- 
zling them with doftrines, incomprehenfible, 
yet reprefented as neceflary, and indeed funda- 
mental articles of Faith j thereby preventing in 
a considerable degree, their enjoyment of that 
rational and fpiritual confolation, which arifes 
from a fatisfa£lory underftanding of that im- 
portant Truth, which the Scripture declares to 
be of fo much importance to fpiritual Life. 

It may not be improper in this place to re- 
peat fome remarks from a letter on the King- 
dom of God, which may be of fome ufe in 
confidering this fubject. 

^^ The Hebrew term Alehim^ generally tran- 
fiated God in the Old Teftament, fignifies 
Strength, Power, Authority, Dominion ; con- 



60 Scripture meaning of the title God. 

veying the idea of binding, reftraining by fanc- 
tions, and of Ruling and Judging by Laws. 
The term is of a plural form, probably to ex- 
prefs the Supreme excellency and dignity of the 
only true God, to whom the title primarily be- 
longs, and the Infinity and Perfection of the Pow- 
er and Authority whichhe eflentially pofleffes. It 
has been fuppofed that this name, being a plu- 
ral term, exprefles a plurality of perfons in the 
Divine Eflence ; and the expreffions, Let us 
make man^ and the man is become like one of us^ 
have been fuppofed to prove it. If we confider 
what the Divine Spirit teftifies, viz. That Jefu^ 
Chriflwas in the beginning with Gody andzvas God^ 
poffeffing Glory with his God and Father before the 
foundation of the Worlds and that God created all 
things by him^ as his fervant or agent ; we will 
find a much more rational, and at the fame time, 
the true ftgnification of fuch expreffions. The 
phrafe, let us make^ no more exprefles perfe6l 
equality in the makers, than the phrafe. Let us 
reafony Ifai. i. 18. exprefl^es perfecSl equality in 
the reafoners. 



Scripture meafiing of the title God, 61 

« That the term Alehim does not neceflarily 
exprefs a plurality of perfons, will farther ap- 
pear from confidering its ufe and application in 
the Scriptures. — In the 45th Pfalm, the title is 
applied to the Father, and to the Son ; furely it 
cannot be fuppofed that the Father and the Son 
are each of them a plurality of perfons ; for 
that would be fuppofing not lefs than four per- 
fons at leaft ; yet the plural title Alehim is ap- 
plied to each individually, with this dinerence, 
that the Father is called the Alehim of the Son. 
In the firft chapter of Hebrews, this is render- 
ed, as in our Engliili bibles, in the fingular by 
the word Theos^ God. Tky God hath anointed 
thee. Mofes is called Alehim, Exodus vii. 1. 
furely Mofes was not a plurality of perfons. 
Deut. vi. 4. is confidered as one of the moil de- 
cifive evidences that this term expreffes a plural- 
ity of perfons in the Divine Eflence. Hear O 
Ifraely the Lord our God is o?ie Lordy where Ale- 
hiniy rendered God is a plural, and Jehovah 
rendered Lord is a fingular term. On this it 
Mall be fuihcient to remark, that our Lord Jefus 



62 Scripture meaning of the title God. 

Chrift, who perfectly underftood it, has render- 
ed Alehim by the Greek word Theos^ which is 
lingular, Mark xii. 29, and our Tranflators had 
good authority in his example for rendering the 
Hebrew term by the fingular Englifh M^ord 
God. It is flill contended that Alehim expref- 
fes a plurality of perfons, becaufe it is joined 
wath plural verbs, for inftance, Let us make. It 
might with at lead equal propriety be fuggefted 
that it muft exprefs one perfon only, becaufe it 
is much more frequently joined with fingular 
verbs. Does the name Jehovah exprefs a plu- 
rality of perfons, becaufe Jehovah faid, let us 
go down P Gen. xi. 6. 7. The truth feems to 
be, that Alehim is the plural form of the noun ; 
and when applied to more than one perfon, we 
find it expreffed by our Lord in the New Tefta- 
ment by the plural term Theoiy Gods. John x. 
34. / /aid ye are Gods — and our Tranflators, in 
Pfal. xcvii. 7. have very judicioufly rendered it 
plural. ]VorJ}jip Imn^ all ye Gods, and verfe 9th^ 
far above all Gods, But when applied to fingle 
individuals, they have with equal propriety 



Script tire meaning of the title God. 63 

rendered it fmgular ; becaufe in that cafe the 
term may exprefs the various powers and rela- 
tions fuftained by the individual to M^hom it is 
applied ; but it would have been improper to 
reprefent an individual, for inftance Mofes, as 
more perfons than one, and called him Gods.'"^ 
The names, Alehim and Jehovah^ both appear 
to be relative names, or titles of ofFice. Tlie 
name Jehovah fignifies. He ivho caiifeth to he^ or 
hringeth into effecf. A little refleftion on what 
God faid to Mofes, Exod. vi. 3. may be of ufe 
to lead us to right apprehenfions of this fubjeft* 
/ appeared unto Abraham^ IfaaCy and Jacob by the 
name or charaEler of God Almighty \ but by 
my nanu or charaBer Jehovah, was I not 
known to them. The name Jehovah, rendered 
Lordy occurs frequently before the fixth chapter 
of Exodus, and muft have been known to the 
Fathers as a title belonging to God, and appears 
to have been realized or manifefted on feveral 



* Letters on the Existence and Character of the Deity, and 
©n the Moral State of Man. Letter xxiii. 



64 Scripture meaning of the title God, 

occafions. God had faid. Let us make man : 
when he proceeded to carry his purpofe into ef- 
feft, he was accordingly ft y led and rnanifefted 
in the charafter of Jehovah^ He ivho caufeth to 
he. Gen. ii. 5. 7. 8. 9. 15. 16. 18. 19. 21. 22. 
In thefe inftances he is rnanifefted as caiijtng to 
he. In the third chapter he is rnanifefted as 
hringing into effeB the threatening announced 
Chap. ii. 16. and cauftng to he proteftion, and 
labour for mankind. Very many inftances to 
this purpofe might be adduced ; it will be fufE- 
cient barely to mention the Flood, and the de- 
ftruftion of Sodom, where God was rnanifefted 
in the charafter of Jehovah, he who caufeth to be, 
or hringeth i?ito effecf. He had even been mani- 
fefted to Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in other 
things by the Charafter of Jehovah, He who 
caifeth to he ; but in relation to the promife of 
the Land of Canaan to their feed, he could not 
in their day be manifefted as reaHzing it, and 
therefore, with refpeft to that promife, he made 
himfelf known by the name of God Almighty, 
able to perform. They viewed him in that cha- 



Scripture meaning of the title God. 65^ 

racier. The Apoftle tells us^ They believed^ that 
what he had proinifed^ he was able alfo to perform^ 
Rom. iv. 21. Thus alfo we know that God 
hath appointed a day in which he will judge 
the world in Righteoufnefs by Jefus Chrift : we 
know tliat the judge of the quick and the dead 
is a title belonging to our Lord Jefus Chrift ; 
but we alfo know that this omcial chara£ler is 
not yet manifefted in actual operation. 

But when the time was come for him to be- 
gin to perform the promife made to the Fathers, 
God was pleafed to m.anifeft himfelf in the 
character of Jehovah^ He who caufeth to be^ and 
therefore he commanded Mofes to tell the chil- 
dren of Ifrael that he would deliver them and 
be, to them a God, and zMs^yefJjall know that I 
am Jehovah, He who caufeth to be, or bring- 
eth into effeft ; that he was as faithful in (he 
performance of his promife, as he had been 
gracious in giving it, ver. 7. He now pro- 
ceeded to manifeft himfelf Jehovahy He who 
caufeth to be, or bringeth into eirefl:, and 
therefore in his fubfequent declarations, he 
I 



66 Scripture meaning of the title God, 

frequently, by this very name, reminds them 
of what he had done or was doing ; and 
in after times, when they had forgotten that 
he was Jehovah^ he mardfefts it anew in 
his works of Judgement, or of Mercy, and 
declares in his threatenings and in hispromifes, 
ye Jhall know that I am Jehovah, nvhen I have 
done this unto you. The inftances of this are fo 
numerous in the Old Teftament, that we need 
only to open the book and they meet our eye. 
The New Teftament makes manlfeft to us 
that God created all things by Jefus Chrift, that 
all things were upheld and confifted by him, 
and that whatfoever things God doth, he doth 
them by his Son ;; therefore as God faid of the 
Angel who was to go with Mofes and the If- 
raelites, my name is in him : we might naturally 
expefl: to find the Official Titles, Alehim^ and 
Jehovah^ applied to our Lord in the Old Tef- 
tament, accordingly they are with the greateft 
propriety applied to him, expreffing the offices 
which he fuftains, in feveral inftances, not ne- 
ceflary to be fpecified, being fo generally un- 
derftood in reference to the Son of God. 



Scripture meaning of the title God, 67 

Thofe names do not give us any inftruc- 
tion with refpecl to the Ejfcnce or Suhjlance of 
God. Thefe are technical terms which men have 
invented, in order to appear profoundly wife,, 
and which only difguife, or more properly ex- 
pofe tlieir ignorance. In the prefent ftate, we 
neither do nor can know any thing about the 
Effence or Siibftance cf Gcdy abftraftiy confider- 
ed. All die knowledge which we are capable of 
receiving of the character of God, is only rela- 
tive ; thus, the expreffions that Power, Wif- 
dom, Goodnefs, &c, are elTential to God, can 
only convey the ideas of what he is in relation 
to us, and to his other works. His Power, 
Wifdom and Goodnefs are over all his works. 

<^ In the New Teftament, our Lord, w^ho 
could not be miftaken ; and his Apoftles who 
were directed by the fame fpirit ; when tliey 
introduce paiTages from the Old Teftament, in 
which the Title Alehim occurs, generally ex- 
prefs it in the fmgular by the Greek word 
TheoSy a term faid to be formed from a verb 
^vhich fignifies to put in order, to regidiate. 



6S Scripture meaning of the title God, 

The title Theos accords with the import of the 
Hebrew term, both expreffing the idea of au- 
thority to place or bring into order, to regulate^ 
to govern, and to judge, and both are very 
properly tranflated by the Englifh word God^ a 
term formed from, and expreffing the idea of 
Goodnefs, the leading principle of the Divine 
Conduft. 

" The title, God^ therefore appears to be a 
relative term, denoting the rightful pojfejfor of 
Divine Authority^ whether original, or derived 
from the Original Source, In the higheft fenfe of 
the term it is one of the titles proper to the Su« 
preme Being alone, whofe power and authority 
muft be Original, underived. The name God^ 
therefore, when applied to Him, is never expref- 
five of derivations'^ Hence, our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, who perfectly underftood its import, 
ftyles the Father The only true God, John xvii. 
3. My God, Ghap. xx. 17; and the Apoftle 
calls him The God and Father of our Lord Jefus 

* Letters, Sec. Letter xxiiL 



Scripture meaning of the title God, 69 

Ckrijij Ephef. i. 3. The God of our Lord J ef us 
Chrifl^ verfe 17. and in Heb. i. 9. applying to 
our Lord the expreffions in the 45th pfalm. 
Thy God hath Anointed thee. It Is needlefs to cite 
more inftances. - 

But the title God is obvloufly ufed in Scrip- 
ture, likewlfe in a Secondary or inferior Senfe, 
and is applied in that fenfe to thofe only whom 
the Only True God inverted with authority, for 
the accomplifhment of his wife and gracious 
purpofes. When he gave authority to Mofes 
he fald, See I have made thee a God to Pharaoh, 
Ex. vii. 1. The Rulers and Judges of Ifrael, 
to nvhom the luord of God came^ and gave them 
Authority to- rule and execute Judgement, ivere 
called Gods. John x. 34. 35. hence tlie command 
Thoufljalt not revile the Gods, Ex. xxil. 28. The 
name feems to have been applied to Angels, 
Pfalm xcvii. 7. 9. Worflnp him all ye Gods^ com^- 
pared with Heb. i. 6. Let all the Angels of God 
uwrfjip him. Our Lord Jefus Chrift, to whom 
His God and Father hath given all Power in 
Heaven and in Earthy fiting him over all the 



70 Scripture mearnng of the title God, 

works of his hands ; and giving him authority to 
execute Judgement alfo^ becaufe he is the Son of man^ 
is, with the higheft propriety, ftyled God over all, 
He^ in the Charafter of Jehovahy is far exalted 
above all the Gods, whether men or angels. 
They had received their refpeclive meafures of 
the Oil of Gladnefs ; but his God hath anointed 
him with the Oil of Gladnefs above his fellows. 
The Father giveth him the Spirit not by meafure. 

•Therefore all the Gods are commanded to wor- 
fliip Him, to whom the title Gody belongs in a 
degree inuneafurably higher than any or all of 
them, and inferior only to his God and Father 
who hath anointed him^ and given him the fiilnefs 

' of Power and Authority, 

I 



On the pre-e^ifience of Chrijl, 71 



LETTER V. 



On the Pre-^xtjlence cf Chrijl. — The Socinian 
Scheme. 

vJUR Lord, in Rev. iii. 14. claims the cha- 
rafter of The beginning of the Creation of God, 
There is no more room to doubt that by this 
expreffion he meant that he really was The be^ 
ginning of the Creation of God, than to doubt 
that by the other expreffion in the fame verfe, 
he really meant that he was The Faithful and 
true Witnefs. The teftimony of the Apoftle by 
the fame fpirit, Coloff. i. 15. 16. 17. is to the 
fame purpofe, where he ftyles him, The Image 
of the Invifible God, the firjl horn of every Crea^ 
ture. This firft born of every Creature is the 
Image of the invifible God, by pofleffing the 



72 On the pre-exijtence of Chrifl. 

Power, the Authority, the whole of the Di- 
vine Fulnefs, with which it pleafed the Father 
to inveft him. This was the Glory which he 
had with the Father before the world was. 
That the Creation, and Government of all 
things were among the objefts for which he 
was inverted with thrs Divine fulnefs, appears 
from the Apoftle's account. For by him ivere alt 
things created that are in Heaven^ and that are in 
Earthy vifible and invifihle^ ^whether they be thrones 
or dominions J or principalities ^ or powers ; all 
things ivere created by him and for him ■; and he 
is before all things^ atid by him all things conftfl, 
Correfponding with this, in Eph. iii. 9. the fame 
Apoftle declares that God created all things by Je- 
fus Chriji. As he was the agent by whom God 
created all things, and was far exalted above all 
that was made ; fo he was appointed the Re- 
ftorer of all things, that he might.be the firft in 
every thing 5 therefore fays the Apoftle, He is 
the head of the body the Church ; who is the be- 
ginning y. the fr/} born from the dead ; that in all he 
might have the pre-eminence. 



On the pre-exijlence of Chriji, 7S 

He was with his God and Father in tlie be- 
ginning, fuftaining tlie character of God^ 
through the Divine fuhiefs with which he was 
filled for creating all things by him ; hence the 
Evangelift fays, In the beginning was the word^ 
mnd the ivord was with Gody and the word was 
God, The fame was in the beginning with God. 
All things were made by him ; a?id withoid hiv9- 
ivas not any thi?ig made that njuas made, John 
i. 1. 2. 3. No ambiguity arifes from the 
title G^J being applied in a fecondary fenfe to 
the word, for the reafon6 already mentioned, 
while the title God is applied in the higheft 
fenfe tor the Father y with whom the word was ; 
which diftinftion is indicated in the ttxt\ where 
the Father is particularly diftinguifhed by the 
appellation ton theon^ The Gody by way of pecu- 
liar pr-e-eminence, as tlie original fountain of 
Divine Authority ; which is ftill further mani- 
fefted in the reft of the chapter. There is not 
even the moft diftant idea through the whole, of 
one God being in company nvith another Gcdy t9 
whom he zuas in every refpecl perfectly eqtialy and 
K 



74 Oh the pre-^xiftence of Chrtfl. 

each of them infinite in being and perfeEtions, The 
world ivas made by him. The fame word here 
fpoken of was in due time made jleJJj and dwelt 
among men, in the charafter of the only begot- 
ten of the Father. He was acknowledged to be 
the Son ofGod^ the King of Ifrael. He was in the 
form ofGody before he took upon him the form of 
a Servant. Philip, ii. 6. The Apoftle intimates 
that he ^fleemed not for himfelf the coveted thifig^ 
the being as God (which is faid to be the true 
fenfe of the paflage) but in obedience to the 
will of his God and Father, emptied himfelf of 
that Glory which he had before the world was. 
He who was rich for our fakes became poor^ that 
we through his Poverty might become richy 2 Cor. 
viii. 9. is another teftimony by the Divine Spi- 
rit, that our Lord was in pofleffion of Riches 
and Power before he came in the flefh. His 
own teftimony, John xvii. 4. 5. is fo plain as 
not to be eafily mifunderftood. / have finifhed 
the work which thou gavefl me to do ; and noiv^ O 
Father, glorify thou me with thine own f elf y with 
the glory which 1 had with thee before the ivorld 



On the pre^xiftence of Chriji. tS 

*was. One would hardly think it poflible for a 
Chriftian to read thefe words of Chrift without 
having his mind ftrongly impreffed with the be- 
lief of our Lord's exiftence in glory before the 
Heavens and the Earth were created. In Heb. 
i. 10. 11. 12. the Apoftle teaches us that the 
102d Pfalm from the middle of the 24th verfe, 
is the declaration of the God and Father of our^ 
Lord Jefus Chrift in anfwer to the prayer of his 
Son. He had faid, O my God^ take ine not away ^ 
in the mid/} of my days. The anfwer was, Thy 
y^ars are throughout cdi generations. Thau^ Lordy 
in the beginnings haft laid the foundations ef the 
earthy and the heavens are the work of thy hands y 
^c. Thus the Power and Glory of our Lord 
Jefus Chrift is abundantly manifefted in the 
Scriptures, as the R.oot and Lord of David^ be- 
fore he came in the flefh as David*s Son. The 
general phrafeology which the Sacred writers 
were led to make ufe of, perfectly harmonifes 
with the doctrine of our Lord's pofleffing the 
fulnefs of Divine perfeftion before he came in 
the flefti, and of his condefcending to empty 



76 On the Socinian Scheme, 

himfelf thereof in obedience to his Father's will, 
in order that he might revive us from death, 
that we might be replenifhed with all the ful- 
nefs of God. Hence we are led to an eafy and 
fatisfaftory underftanding of many of our Lord's 
expreflions, which in any other view it would 
furely be no eafy matter to comprehend ; for in- 
ftance, John viii. 58. Before Abraham was^ I 
am ; John xvii. 24. Thou lovedfl me before the 
foundation of the 'world ; Rev. i. 11. I am the AU 
pha and the Omegay the First and the Lajl, ^c. 
Contemplating thefe concurrent teftimonies, 
which are in perfeft harmony with the whole 
of the Scriptures ; it would feem to be a very 
jniftaken view of the fubjeft, which has led 
to the adoption of the Socinian Scheme. Poffi- 
bly indeed it may have been occafioned at firft 
by the Trinitarian hypothefts ; for it has fometimes 
happened that one extreme has been the occa- 
fion of another. The dodtrine of the Trinity^ 
probably arifmg from a mifdirefted zeal to exalt 
the charafter of our Lord Jefus Chrift, beyond 
what he himfelf claims, or the Scriptures ever 



On the Socinian Scheme. 77 

afcribe to him, attempts even an impoffii3le 
height, which by its very excefs defeats itfelf, 
and involves its advocates in inextricable em.bar- 
raflments ; until perplexed w^ith the inconfiften- 
cies of the fubjeft, they muft confefs it to be in- 
comprehenfibie. It is very poffible that rational 
thinking men, (who too often have been more 
accuftomed to compare and philofophize upon 
Theological fyftems, than limply to feek infor- 
mation concerning the things of God from his 
teftimony, for their own fpiritual benefit) ftar- 
tled by the inconfiftencies of that doftrine, re- 
folved to keep at as great diftance from it as 
poffible, without altogether giving up with the 
profeffion of Chriftianity, and therefore got into 
the oppofite extreme. Confidering our Lord Je- 
fus Chrift fimply as a man, the Son of Jofeph 
and Mary, in the common acceptation of the 
term ; without any thing extraordinary refpec- 
ting his origin ; and that he had no exiftence 
before he became the Son of Jofeph and Mary. 
That God gave him fome extraordinary powers, 
as he had formerly given to Mofes and to fome 



Y8 On the Socinian Scheme. 

other men ^ but that he flood in no other or 
higher relation to God than other men, who 
had been occafionally made ufeful as teachers 
of or examples to others. That God raifed him 
from the dead, as he will raife all mankind from 
the dead ; and will judge the world by him at 
the laft day. 

In order to give {lability to this Scheme, 
inuch of what is called learning and ingenuity 
have been employed to explain many paflages of 
Scripture in fubferviency to it, in a fenfe very 
different from that which, to a fimple fludent of 
Divine Truth, v/ould appear to be the plainefl 
and mbfl obvious meaning of the Scriptures. 
For inftance,. the account of our Lord's concep- 
tion, recorded in the firfl chapter of Matthew,^ 
and the firfl chapter of Luke, is reje£led, not 
by all, but by many of the advocates of this 
Scheme, as fabulous ; which a plain inquirer,, 
who was defirous of learning the things of 
God from the Scriptures, would efteem the Re^ 
cord of Truth. Our Lord's prayer t-o the Father,. 
John xvii 5. that he would reftor^ him \o ^ 



On the Socinian Scheme. 79 

glory which he had with him before the ^vorld was ; 
and his teftlmony. Thou lovedjl me before the 
foundation of the worlds verfe 24. are confidered 
as exprelTing tliat God, before the foundation 
of the world, purpofed or intended to glorify ^ and 
defigned to love Jefus Chrijl ; and not that our 
Lord refers to 2ii\j iornitr glory really poffejfedy or 
love of God really enjoyed by him, before the nvorld 
was, A fimple Chriftian, whofe mind was not 
led by Theological Syftems, would be likely to 
believe that our Lord in his addrefs to the Fa- 
ther, really meant what he faid, and expreffed 
what w2LsJlriclly and literally true ; and thathig 
own teftimony proved tlie truth of what was 
i4)oken of him in the eighth chapter of Solo- 
mon's Proverbs, under the charafter of Wif- 
dom. His having been rich, and for our fakes 
becoming poor, that we through his povei'ty might 
become rich, 2 Cor. viii. 9* is confidered either as 
a miftake of the Apoftle, or at moft, that it on- 
ly intimates his reilraining the power of work- 
ing m*iracles, whichGod had given him 5 whilft 
rbe Scriptures would lead us to underftand it 



80 On the Socinian Scheme. 

"as denoting, his emptying himfelfof that fuinejs of 
Divifie Power and Authority^ luhich he formerly 
pojfejfed^ and which belonged to the For^n of 
God in which he had been ^ in order that he 
might take upon him the form ofafervant^ and 
be obedient unto the deaths that we might be re- 
ftored by the Spirit of Power and Love^ to thai: 
Image of God from which we had fallen. Thou^ 
LoYd^ in the beginnings hafi laid the foundations of 
the earth J and the heavens are the luork cf thy ^ 
hands s which the Apoflle, Heb. i. 10. confi- 
ders as the anfwer of the Father to the Son, is 
viewed as the Apoftle having entirely miftaken 
the meaning of the 102d Pfalm, whereas the 
Apoftle obvioufly introduces this as part of his 
Superiority over all things, which he upholdeth 
by the word of his Power. Jefus faying that he 
mme-fr))m the Father a?id came into the ivorld^ 
and again leavifig the ivorldy and going to the Fa- 
thery is confidered drily as his having received a 
commiffion from God, and that he is to render 
an account to God, of his conduft in that com- fl 
miflion. The meaning of this faying, John xvi. 



1 



On the Soclnian Schetne. 8i 

28. appears very obvioufly to be that which the 
Lord exprefled \ the difciples underftood it fo ; 
faying, ver. 30. by this we believe that thou cont" 
ejl forth from God. If our minds are fimple, 
and not warped by philofophical or theological 
fyftems, we would very naturally conclude 
that he was as truly with the Father before he 
came forth from him, as he was to be with the 
Father after he returned to him. His being 
the firfl born of every creature^ by whom all things 
nvere created ; that he ivas before all things y and 
by him all things conftft ; is confidered as repre- 
fenting him, not as the Scripture teftifies that - 
God created all things by jfefus Chrijl^ confider- 
ed as applicable to the material univerfe ; but 
only that he is the head of the new creation ; that 
all are created anew by him^ in a moral point of 
view. This is the truth in part •, but not the 
whole truth. It is true that he is the head of 
the New Creation, and equally true that the 
New Creation, though not yet perfefted will 
be accomplilhed by him in the moft univer- 
fal fenfe ; but this alone would be an incom- 

I. 



t2 On the SQCtnian Scheme, 

plete view of his dignity ; therefore, the Apof- 
tie fhews, in the moft explicit manner, that all 
things were originally created in him, through 
him, and for him ; and he is before and above 
all thefe things, which are holden together in 
and by him : thofe who abode not voluntarily 
in him are yet fubjeft to his power, and though 
like flieep, they have gone aftray, wandering 
every one after his own way, yet he will at laft 
recover them and reconcile them by himfelf un- 
to God ; which is the very reafon why all ful^ 
nefi dwells In hint. With this view he is the head 
of the body, the churchy the beginning, the firft 
born from the dead, that hefhould be the frjl in all 
things. Hence, we are led to contemplate the 
connexion between all things having been crea- 
ted in him, and for him, and all things being 
recovered, reconciled, and reftored unto God 
by him ; for though we fee not yet all things 
willingly fubjeft to him, the work is begun ; 
and as fure as God is true, fo furely will our 
Lord carry on the work till every loft iheep be 
found, and replaced in the true fold, under the 



On the Socinian Scheme, 8^ 

Good Shepherd, who gave his foul for them. 
The celebrated paflage in the firft chapter of 
the gofpel by John, is confidered by the So- 
cinian Scheme as defcriptive of the Wifdom of 
Godj as well as the eighth chapter of Proverbs ; 
as it is elfewhere faid. The Lord by Wifdom hath 
founded the earthy by unde^flanding hath he fir etch- 
ed out the Heavens, This is certainly true. Is it 
any difparagement of this truth, to fay that this 
Wfdom of God was in and manifefted by Jefus 
Chrfl ? do we know any inftances in which the 
Wifdom, the Love, the Power, or any of the 
perfections of God are manifefted, or poflible 
to be known without a medium or agent ? and 
who fo proper to be the agent for manifefting or 
exerting the Divine Wifdom, as He in who^j all 
the treafures of Wifdom and Knowledge are laid 
up ? He, who, becaufe of the Divine fulnefs 
which dwells in him, is faid to be of God made 
unto us Wifdom ? It is faid however, that thefe 
things are fpoken of him after his refurrecStion. 
True ; and thefe very things which are fpoken 
of Him after his refurreciion, were equally 



84* On the Socinian Scheme. 

true of Him before he took upon him the form 
of a fervant. They were conftituent parts of 
that form of God in which he was, before he 
emptied himfelf that he might he made in all things 
like unto his brethren^ in order to recover them. 
Was then the emptying himfelf of Wifdom and 
Power y part of his being made in all things like 
unto his brethren ? Yes ; mofl: certainly. When 
they were originally created in Him^ and whila 
they abode in him who is the Truth ; they muft 
have enjoyed a participation of Divine Wifdom 
and Power \ of which Adam was afterwards 
an outward or earthly manifeftation ; for no- 
thing can come from God as his original work 
which is originally defeftive or imperfeft in its 
kind. From this Hate it was only pofTible for 
them to fall by the perverfion of their will. 
They fell into vanity, ignorance, and weaknefs, 
becoming alienated from the Life of Gody through 
the ignorance that was in themy becaufe of the blind- 
nefs of their hearts and darkened underflanding. In 
order to recover them from the wickednefs, en- 
mity to God, and confequent mifery into which 



On the Socmian Scheme » 85 

they were fallen, it became needful that our 
Lord fhould voluntarily empty himfelf of his 
glorious dignity, and place himfelf in all their 
fituations, fin only excepted, that he might be a 
merciful and faithful high Priefl in the things of 
Gcdj to make reconciliation for the fms of the 
people. Hence he is reprefented as increaftng in 
JVifdomy learning obedience^ and being made per- 
feci through Sufferings ; until, having finifhed 
the work which the Father gave him to do, he 
was, according to his prayer, rejlored to the gloria 
BUS dignity which he had with the Father before the 
world was. When, therefore, we read in the 
beginning of John's Gofpel, /;; the begi?mi?ig was 
the word and the word was with Gody afid the 
word was God ; the fame was in the beginning 
with God. All things were made by him^ and with- 
out him was not any thing made that was made. 
That the world was made by him. That the word 
was made flefh and dwelt among men ; There is in 
reality no more difficulty in underftanding the 
term, The Wordy as a title given to Jefus 
Chrift, on account of declaring or revealing 



86 On the Socinian Scheme. 

the Father^ than there Is in underftanding the 
phrafe, The Lamh of God^ applied as a title to 
him in the fame chapter, on account of his 
taking aivay theftfjs of the world. When we read 
in the 36th verfe that John, looking upon Jefus 
as he walkedy faid, Behold the Lamh of God ; no 
kind of doubt arifes in our minds about the 
epithet being intended for and applied to Jefus \ 
yet we could no more fuppofe Jefus to be lite- 
rally a lamhy than we could fuppofe him to be 
literally a word ; but thai both are titles, pro- 
perly expreflive of his office and charafter. 

The principal, indeed, the only reafon affign- 
ed by the Socinian Scheme for denying the ap- 
plication of the phrafe. The Wordy as a title to 
Jefus Chrift, is becaufe the Greek Philofophers, 
and Poets, and the early writers who profefled 
Chriftianity, (which was foon corrupted by the 
falfe philofophy of the Greeks,) ufed the Greek 
word Logos fignifying word or fpeechy without 
meaning thereby a perfon ; but only fpeechy or 
difcourfe. This is furely true ; and it is equal- 
ly true that in the common ufe of the words 



On the Socinian Scheme. 87 

Lamb or Liotiy they did not thereby mean a man ; 
but they not unfrequently applied the names 
of thofe animals, as is ftill often done, to indi- 
vidual men, as defcriptive of their characters ; 
and fuch things occafion no kind of difficulty, 
becaufe they are in common and daily ufe. Af- 
ter all, it might very reafonably fuggeft a doubt 
of the propriety of the reafoning, however plau- 
fibie, when recourfe is had to Idolatrous Hea^ 
thens for interpreting the Oracles of God. If the 
'world by iv'ifdom knew not God ; is it the beft 
way of underftanding the things of Gody to feek 
the interpretation of the Sacred Record either 
from thofe who had no correfponding ideas, or 
from thofe, who being corrupted from the Sim- 
plicity of Chriftianity, had their ufiderjiandings 
darkened? for this was early the cafe with ma- 
ny of the profeflbrs of Chriftianity, whofe tef- 
timony in other things, Socinians would rejeft, 
as inadmiffible. The only fafe and really fatis- 
faftory explanation of Scripture, will be found 
to be in the Scripture itfelf, and however fer- 
viceable many other things, particularly obfer- 



88 On the Socinian Scheme. 

vations on the ancient cuftoms, manners, and 
climates of the Eaftern nations may be for the 
tllujlrations of alluftons^ the interpretations of 
Doflrines will be beft found by comparing Scrip- 
ture with Scripture ; and if this method were 
more generally and more honeftly followed, ma- 
ny of the feeming difficulties would entirely dif- 
appear. 

One principal confideration for which the So- 
cinian Scheme endeavours to invalidate the ap- 
plication of the title. The Word, to Jefus Chrift, 
is becaufe it is faid that The word was Gody and 
it is fuppofed that this would go towards the ef- 
tablifhment of a plurality of Gods. But admit- 
ting that it is Wifdotn, tliat is here fpoken of; 
this would not obviate the difficulty \ for from 
the fcope of the chapter it would ftill appear 
that Wifdom -was with God and was God, that 
the fame Wifdom was made flefj, and was the 
Lamb of God who taketh away the fins of the 
worldy and in fa6t was Jefus Chrijl himfelf 
The difficulty of admitting the teftimony of 
the Spirit of God to be heard in the expreffions. 



On the Socinian Scheme. 89 

and meaning in which God intended to com- 
municate himfelf to mankind to be underftood, 
left fuch phrafeology fhould inculcate the no- 
tion of two Gods, is only a feeming, but not a 
real difficulty. It has already been noticed that 
the title God is with the higheft propriety ap- 
plicable to our Lord Jefus Chrift, and that this 
is fo far from derogating from the dignity of 
the God and Father of our Lord^ that it is the 
higheft manifeftation of the Glory, both of 
the only True Godj and of Jefus Chrijl whom he 
hath fent. Many of the advocates for this 
fcheme, as well as thofe for the Trinity have been 
men of great learning and ingenuity ; many of 
both have been, and are, excellenj Chriftians ; 
precious in the fight of God, and diftinguifhed 
as the followers of Chrift, by the fincerity of 
their hearts, and the holinefs of their lives ; for 
the fpirit and practice of holinefs and obedience 
to Jefus Chrift, which are the moft fubftantial 
evidences of true Chriftianity, are often found in 
perfons who have adopted miftaken opinions, 
though their miftakes are unprofitable. All of 
M 



90 On thi Sociman SchemCi 

them have the fame intereft in knowing and 
obeying the truth, as thofe who have been de^ 
livered from the miftakes of both Schemes ; and 
furely the Chriftians among both clafles, though 
miftaken and mifled, are as honeft and as fin^ 
cere, fo far as they underftand the truth, as 
thofe who have more fimple and fatisfaftory 
views of the Divine Record. It is not the ob- 
je£t of this fketch to call refleftions on Socie- 
ties or on individuals, many of whom are of 
thofe whom God approveth ; but by comparing 
thefe Schemes with the Divine Teftimony, to 
invite Chriftians to leave the dogmas and tradi- 
tions of men, and attend to the teaching of 
God himfelf m the Scriptures of Truth 5 that 
they may enjoy more purely the precious con- 
folations which refult from the clear and fim- 
ple \inderftanding of Divine Truth, and be led 
to a more uniform and confiftent obedience to 
the Divine Will, through the teaching of the 
Holy Spirit, whofe office is to lead the humble 
followers of Jefus Chrift into all the truthy both 
with refpeft to Doftrine and Praftice. 



On the Name of Jefia. 91 



LETTER VI. 

On the Name of Jfus^ and Lfe through his 
Name* 

X H E ancient Chriftians believed that Jefus is 
the Chri/Iy the Son of God ; and believing^ they had 
Life through his Name, As He is the fame now, 
that he was in their day ; neither is there Salva^ 
tion in any other ; for there is none other narne un-^ 
der Heaven given among men^ ^whereby ive mufl 
be faved : It will be a profitable exercife for our 
own minds, to contemplate with gratitude, the 
Namey the Characters and Offices, which our 
Lord Jefus fuftains ; the work which He accom- 
plifhes ; the Life which believers have through 
his name ; and the way in which they receive 
;^nd are kept in that Life. 



92 On the Name of Jejus. 

The CharaSler of our Lord was intimated by 
the name JefuSy which fignifies Saviour y or ra- 
ther Rejlorer ; this was the reafon affigned for 
the name. Matt. i. 21. Thou Jh alt call his name 
JefuSy for hefhall SAVE (or rather restore) his 
people from their ftns. This name was declared 
before he was conceived, compare Luke i. 31. 
and ii. 21. The Angels announced the fame 
thing to the Shepherds as good tidings of great 
jojy ivhich fhall be to ALL PEOPLE ; for unto you 
is born this day y in the city of Davidy A SA- 
VIOUR, -which is CHRIST THE LORD. In 
the third chapter of Afts, the Apoftle Peter, 
explaining to the Jews, the covenant made 
with Abraham, and the nature of that blefled- 
nefs wherewith all the kindreds of the earth 
fliould be blefled in the promifed feed, thus ex- 
preffes it in verfe 26. Unto youfirfly God having 
raifed up his Son JESUS, (the Reftorer,) hath 
fent him to blefs youy in turning anvay every one of 
you from his iniquities. The chara£l:er of Saviour y 
or Rejlorery was, with peculiar propriety and 
gracioufnefs, adapted by Infinite Wifdom to 



I 



On the Name of Jefus. 93 

the condition of mankind in their fallen ftate. 
His work and its iffiie were exhibited in the 
former difpenfations, by a variety of figures and 
declarations, which united in teftifying that 
through his NAME ; whoever believeth in him fi all 
receive remijfion of Jtns. 

He is the Revealer of the Father^ according to 
his own teftimony, Matth. xi. 27. Luke x, 22. 
All things are delivered unto me of my Father : and 
no one knoweth the Sony but the Father ; neither 
knoiveth any one the Father, fave the Son, and he 
to whomfoever the Son will reveal him. It was His 
Spirit in the Prophets which teftified of his Com- 
ing, Sufferings, and following Glory. When He 
came he was that prophet of whom Mofes truly 
faid unto the Fathers, A Prophet fhall the Lord 
your God raife up unto you of your Brethren, like unto 
me ; Himfljall ye hear in all things whatfoever he 
fijall fay unto you. As the alienation of mankind 
from the Life of God, through the ignorance 
that is in them becaufe of the blindnefs of their 
hearts, refulted from having the underflanding 
darkened ; fo The Reflorer was to clFeft their re- 



94 On the Name of Jefus. 

covery unto the renewal of the Life of God in 
them by Revealing the Father that they might 
put on the New man, which is renewed in 
Knowledge after the Image of Him that created 
him. No man ever did, or ever will become 
a real Chriftian in any other way than by the 
Son revealing the Father in him^ giving the know^ 
ledge of the Holy which is underjlanding. Hence, 
This Prophet J the Apoflle of Gody was anointed 
to open the blind eyeSy that they fhould fee out of 
obfeurity and out of darknefs, and to unjlop the 
ears of the deaf that they fhould hear the words 
of the Book. Therefore he brings forth the blind 
people that have eyeSy and the deaf that have earsy 
caufes the dead to hear the voice of the Son of God, 
and they that hear do live ; are quickened from 
that ftate of death in ftn^ whereby the Life of 
God was extinguifhed in them. Whilft by his 
public tejlimony he declares the Character, Will, 
and Gracious Purpofes, of the Father, he give3 
to thofe who hear his voice, and believe his tefti- 
mony, that anointing which teaches them the 
fpiritual underftanding of all things, and which 



On the Name of Jefus. 95 

by abiding, as the Truth in them, keeps thenx 
abiding in him, and teaches them the know- 
ledge of the only True Gody and J ejus Chrijl 
whom He hath Jent^ in whom the fulnefs of 
their Life is treafured up. Thus refhoring them 
by the Spirit of Love to divell in God and be- 
come temples of the Livifig God. Through his 
Prophetic Charafter, tlierefore, the people who 
dwelt in darknefs are made to fee great light ; 
and through the record which God hath given 
of his Son, they believe that Jefus is the Chrijl^ 
the Son of Godj andy believing^ they have Life 
through his Name, 

He is reprefented in the Characler of ^ Pu^ 
rifier^ Mai. iii. 2 — 4. He is like a refiner's fire^ 
and like fuller sfoap ; and he fimll fit as a refi7ier 
and purifier offilver ; and hefijall purify the fens 
of Levi y and purge them as gold andfilver ; that 
they may offer to the Lord an offering i?t righteoufe 
nefs. Then fij all the offering of Judah and Jerufa^ 
lem he pie af ant unto the Lord as in the days of old ^ 
and as in former years. How exaftly does this 
agree v/ith turning away every one of them from 



96 On the Name of Jefus. 

his iniquities ! Again, Ifai. i. 25. / ivill turn 
my hand.upon thee^ and purely purge away all thy 
drofsy and take away all thy tiny compare verfe 
16—18. Again, Ifai. iv. 4. The Lord Jh all wajh 
away the filth of the daughter ofZion^ and purge 
away the blood of Jerufalem from the midjl thereof 
by thefpirit of Judgement ^ and by thefpirit of bur n^-^ 
ingy compare Chap, xxvii. 9. and in Ezekiel 
xxxvi. 25. Then will Ifprinkle clean water upon 
yoUi and ye fhall be clean ; from all your filthinefs 
(jLud from all your Idols will I cl'eanfe you. To 
thefe declarations correfpond all the wafhings, 
fprinklings, and various purifications appointed 
by the Law ; all of which fhadowed forth the 
cleanfing of mankind from moral pollution \ or 
as the Apoftle exprefles it, making perfeB as per^_ 
iaining to the confcience. Such is the genera^ 
fcope of the Old Teftament, refpefting the of- 
fice and work of the Anointed Refiorer^ whom 
God hath exalted with his right hand a Prince and 
Saviour^ to give repentance to Ifraely and for^ 
givenefs of fins. The New Teftament, which 
prefents to our view the Church, as the firji 



On the Name of Jefus. 97 

~^7/?V/ tb God and to the Lamb ^ the earned of the 
general harveft ; informs us that Ckriji loved 
the Church and gave himjelj for ity that he might 
fan5l:fy and cleanfe it by the ivajhing of water by 
the wordy Ephef. v. 25, 26. Accordingly the 
apoftles, preaching falvation to all mankind 
through the name of Jefus, teftify that they 
Jhould repent and turn to Gody and do works meet 
for repentance y A6ts xxvi. 20. John teftifies. 
If nve confefs. our finSy he is faithful and jufl to 
forgive us our fins y and to cleanfe us from all un^ 
righieoufnefsy 1 John i. 9. therefore Paul de- 
clares, He hathfaved us by the wafJjing of rege* 
nerationy and renewing of the Holy Spirit y which 
hefhed on us abundaiitly through Jefus Chrifl our 
Savioury Tit. iii. 5, 6. To the Corinthians, 
he fays, JTe are wafjedy ye are fanBifiedy ye are 
jufifedy in the Name of the Lord JfuSy and by 
the Spirit of our God ; and upon this very prin- 
ciple, calls upon them to hep the feafly not with 
old leaveny neither with the leaven of malice and 
wickednefs ; but with the unleavened bread offn^ 
cerity and truth. Hence it appears, that the 
N 



98 On the Na?ne of Jefits. 

purification accompliflied by our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, in thofe who believe in his name, is 
the removal oi moral poll utmiy thereby cleanC- 
iiig from an evil confcience ; it is alfo the purijl- 
cation of the hearty the fource of defilement^ 
from all its filthinefs and evil^ thoughts ; from 
its making /a traffic and gain of affefted godli- 
nefs, for the gratification of the felfifh princi- 
ple. Every operation of the purifier is the piio- 
cefs of death. — A mortal ftroke to the old man. 
The flrong holds of felf congratulation 5 the 
vain imaginations, and proud reafonings, which 
exalt themfelves againft the true knowledge of 
God ; the pride of knowledge that pufFeth up 
—every thought muft be brought into capti- 
vity'- ta the obedience of Chrift. — There can be 
no agreement of the temple of God with thefe 
idols y nor with any other idols. The fellers of 
oxen antl flaeep, — the tables of the money- 
6hangers — the feats of thofe that fold doves-— 
every one who laboured, in the earthly tem- 
ple, however plauubly, to make the external I 
ierviets of religion fubfervient to their worhlly- ? 



i 



0?i the Name of Jefus* S9 

a;ain — to the fervice of mammon — were driven 

out by the fcourge of fmall cords in the hand 
of him whofe heart burned with zeai for the 
purity of the hoiife of God, that he might reco- 
ver it from being a den of thieves, and- reftorc 
it to its original deftination — The hoiife of pray- 
er. Do we afk the meaning of this fymboli- 
cal action ? The apoftle tells us — Te are the 
temple of God, and the Spirit of God diuelleth in 
you, 1 Cor. iii. 16 : again — Whofe houfeare we, 
Heb. iii. 6. The former ferved unto the ex- 
ample and {hadow of heavenly things— this is 
the houfe — the temple which our Lord is zeal- 
ous to cleanfe from the hidden things of difho - 
nefty, that he may reftore it to the purity of its 
priftine ftate, its original deftination; that it 
may again become The Houfe of Prayer. The 
Apoftle faith thefe things of the Churchj but 
m order that the church may be Holy" as. K^ 
Houfe of God, it muft npt be built of unholy 
materials. As the ftones of Solomon's Temple 
were all prepared for their refpe'live places be- 
fOifpthey werebrpught thither, fo tlie individu- 



IflO On the Name of Jefus. 

als in the fpiritual houfe are brought untO- Him, 
The Jiving Jioncy that, partaking of His life, find 
being prepared by Him, they alfo 0^ lively Jlones^ 
may be bttilt up a fpiritual Houfe y — m Habitation 
of Gad through the Spirits As the churchj the 
firft friiits to Gad and to the Lamb is an image 
-ahd earnefl: £)f the general in-gathering of -all 
HBto Godi and of the fpirit and principles by 
which all the wheat will be brought into the 
garner ; fo each individual chriftian, in the 
procefs of cleanfmg by which the Xord puri- 
iies him, i^ an image and earnefl of the church, 
-anel^ofei the fpirit of holinefs, and principle oi 
purity land love by which the church' is built 
up afijjfiibitasi&hftfor God to dwell and luali 
in. ^: ;^:cJ;r.r:i\ . .■__•;.. ; ,. . .. .: ; " ^^ ■' 

' In tiie chari^et of tEeP^rifer, the foliow- 
-€¥s t)f Jefus are made i ti^ -kn@^vliim and his 
work -in them •, i'ij^j; believe that Jefus is i}^ 
Chrijl^ the Son <f God-; and beUevingy they hanye 
Tfe through his name. "c^nGif oa; ; - ,;';.. 
■ -Otrf-Li^M J^s Gteift'^k->ft€ X%>^^^*f 
W^Hdr I am c^mfy a light:' inh- tide wofid^^ X^\A 



On the Name of J ejus. 101 

he, thnt whofoever believeth on mejloould not abide- 
in darinefsy John xli. 46. We are given to 
underftand by a fpecial meflage, that God is 
Lighty and:in Him is no darknefs at all^ 1 John 
i. 5. Light is an emanation flowing from The, 
Father of Lighty James i. 17, and as with him 
there is no variablenefs nor Jhadow of turni7ig^ 
Hght conftantly flows from him, whether we 
receive it or not. The fun always fliines — 
why do we not always enjoy the light ? Be- 
caufe by the intervention of clouds, or other 
bodies which obftruft it, we are darkened and 
prevented from enjoying the light. The pro- 
phet feen>s to exprefs the fpirit of this idea, 
Ifaiah lix. 2. Tour iniquities have feparated be^ 
tween you and your God ; a?td your fins have hid 
his face from you. In the figurative ftyle of the 
fcriptures Light is an emblem of that right un- 
derftanding and love of the character, defigns, 
and ways of God, which preferve or purify 
the heart ; and whereby the Divine Spirit 
unites the creature to God in a perfect fub- 
m-iflion.and.yoluntary refignation to the Divine 



102 0/2 the Name of Jefus. 

will, which is the higheft felicity of which 
creatures are fufceptible. Darknefs^ on the 
contrary, is emblematic of alienation from this 
life of God, ignorance of and enmity to the 
divine chara£lcr, purpofes, and ways, produc- 
ing wickednefs, hence called, wvrks of dark- 
nefs ; and connefted with mifery as its natural 
confequence. 

There feems to be fome reafon for fuppof- 
ing that when God firft created mankind (who 
are the fubjecls of our prefent confideration) 
he created them by and in Jefus Chrift ; pure, 
holy, fpiritual, like himfelf; and while they 
kept their firft eftate, and left not their own 
habitation, abiding in him who is the Light ; 
Darknefs was not ; but when they fell by tranf- 
greffion from their original purity, darhiefs was 
the natural confequence of their fin,, which hid 
the face of God from them ; the external ftate 
of the world, correfponding with the fpiritual 
ftate of mankind, would become defolate, 
wafte, and fhrouded in darknefs. — This is pre- 
cifely that, condition of the earth to which, the 



4 



On the Name of Jefiis. 103 

Divine Spirit calls cur attention in the begin- 
ning of Genefis. 

But it was not the will of our Heavenly Fa- 
ther that any of his offspring (hould be left fi- 
nally to periih in this deplorable ftate to which 
their tranfgrefnon had reduced them. As he 
had created them in and for Jefus Chrift, fo he 
had compaffion on them \ grace was given them 
in Chrijl Jefus ^ and Ife prom fed in hit?i before the 
world began ^ or before the times of the ages. 
Created fpiritual, pure, and holy, they had be- 
come degraded by their own fins, and were pla- 
ced in Adam, that they might be brought under 
a courfe of difcipline and inftru£tion for their 
recovery from darknefs to light by Jefus Chrift, 
who c^me a light into the world, that whofo- 
ever believeth in hivafhotild not abide in darknefs. 

The moving of the Spirit of God on 
the face of the deep was connefted with 
the light revifiting the earth by the word 
of God. God faid, Light • be — and Light 
zuas. This light flowed from the fun ; though 
the fun was' not yet diftin<^ly vifible, the dulky 



i04f On the Name of J ejus. 

atmofphere gradually difperfing, till the fourth 
day^ when the fplendor of the fun became in 
fome degree vifible, and in the night the moon 
and ftars might be feen ; but it was not tili*the 
fixth day, when man was made in the image 
of God, with his fpoufe formed of his bone 
and flefli, that the glorious harmony of the 
works of God fhone confpicuaus. 

Is not this recorded progreffive ftate of 
things, admirably calculated to exhibit, in em- 
blem, the openings of Divine benignity to 
mankind, flowing from The Sun of Right eouf- 
nefs^ and gradually brightening, till he arofe 
with healing on his wings ? does it not lead us 
to contemplate wdth wonder and gratitude, the 
energy and progrefs of the Word and Spirit of 
God, until the relation between Chrift and his 
church (liall be more diftin6lly manifefted at 
the marriage of the Lamb ? 

The facred record bears witnefs with refpeft 
to every individual of mankind, that they are 
in darknefs as the confequence of tranf- 
greffi^^n* Having the tmderjlandtng darkened ^ 



• On the Kami of J^fus, \0S 

heiftg alienated from the life of God through the 
ignorance that is in thern^ hecaufe of ■ the blindnefs 
of their hearts^ Epbef. iv. 18; therefore the)'" 
walk in the vanity of their rninds. The iinder- 
ftanding being darhenedy obvioufly imphes that 
the underftandirig was formerly ///// cf light ; 
as being alienated from the life cf God, prefup- 
pofes the individual to have been in the enjoy- 
ment of fpiritnal lifeyhefore this ahenation took 
place. This darknefs and alienation arife from 
that ignorance which is caufed by their hearts 
being tfinded through their tranfgreffion. When 
God, by the joint energy of his word and fpi- 
rit, recovers thofe who liiefheep had gone a./tray\ 
and caufes them to return to the Shepherd and 
Bifjop of their fouls, he turns them from dark- 
nefs to light, by fliining into their hearts to give 
them the light of the knowledge of the glory of 
God in the face of Jefus Chrifl ; thus enlighten- 
ing the eyes of their underfanding, he reconciles 
them to himfelfhy Jefus Chrifl. The very idea 
of the reconciliation of any man to God, necef- 
£,irily implies that the fame individual muft 
O 



106 On the Name of Jejus. 

formerly have loved God with all his heart; 
from which ftate he had turned away by tranf- 
greffing the law of love ; for where love has 
not been interrupted or deftroyed, reconcilia- 
tion is not only needlefs, but in the nature of 
the thing, impoflible. This reconciliation is 
the work of God, which he is effefting by him 
who is the true light, that came ifito the world 
to enlighten every man, John i. 9. Hence our 
Lord calls upon men to believe in the light, that 
they may be the children of the light, John xii. 
36. It is he vv^ho maketh the eyes of the blind 
to fee out of obfcurity and out of darknefs. It is 
in him that the people who fat in darhiefs have 
feen great light, and thofe who fat in the region of 
the fhadow of death, upon them hath the light 
finned: compare Ifai. ix. 2. with Math. iy. 16. 
according to the promifes of God by the pro- 
phets, in which the anointed was promifed as 
a light to the nations, to open the blind eyes. The 
apoftles accordingly confider chriftians as the 
children of light j formerly indeed in a ftate of 
darknefs, but now light in the Lord, tranflated 



On the Name of Jefus. 107 

]nto the marvellous light of the Lord, And as 
the prevalence of external darknefs correfpond- 
ed with the darkened ftate of the hearts and 
underftandlngs of men, and afterwards the al- 
ternations of light with partial darknefs indi- 
cated the condition of mankind in a ftate of 
begun recovery \ fo when this recovery fhall 
be completed, by the reconciliation of all ene- 
mies unto God through Jefus Chrift, when 
the darknefs of the tin derflan ding fhall be com- 
pletely removed by him who came to enlighten 
every many external darknefs will alfo com- 
pletely ceafe ; he w^ho is light and in ivhom 
there is no darknefs at ally will caufe his face to 
fhine upon them in the fpirit of that bleffing 
wherewith Aaron and his fons were to blefs 
the children of Ifrael, Numb. vi. 24, 25, 26. 
The Lord blefs thee and keep thee ; the Lord make 
his face to fine upon thee^ and he gracious unto 
thee ; the Lord lift up his countenaiice upon thee^ 
and give thee peace. The followers of Jefus are 
made to know him as the true light luho enlight- 
rneth them ; delivering them from darknefs — 



108 On the Name of Jefus. 

from death in trefpafles and fins. They know 
him as the quickening fpirit^ who reftores to 
them that divine life which they had loft : who 
brings them into his marvellous light, jn which 
he blefles and keeps them. Their iniquities which 
had, fe par ate d betvjeen them and their God ; their 
ftns tC'hich had hid his face from them^ being 
taken away ; the Lord makes his face to finne 
upon them^ and is gracious unto theniy in opening 
to them and in them the unfearchable riches of 
Chri/l, — Makes them full of joy ivith the light 
of his countenance ; and gives them the peace of 
God which paffeth under/landings to keep their 
hearts and minds in Chrijl Jefus, 

Our Lord Jefus Chrift is 4he good Shepherdy 
John X. ii. I am the good Shepherd j the good 
Shepherd giveth his foul for thefjjeep. This cha- 
rafter of Jefus was foretold by the prophets. 
He flj all feed his flock like a fhepherd^ Ifai. iv. 
11. / will Jet up one fhepherd over them^ m.y 
fervant Davidy he fhall feed themy and he fijall 
be their fhepherdy Ezek. xxxiv. 23. Mankind 
are com.pared to fheep ; they were created ia 



On the Name of J ejus. 109 

Jefus Chrift \ and while they abode in the good 
pallure they enjoyed the bleiTednefs of the 
good Shepherd's love •, but every individual of 
them, like flieep, went aftray ; they turned 
every one to his own way. Sheep do not go 
aftray by proxy, but in their individual capa- 
city, and as individuals they mull be brought 
back. The love of the good Shepherd towards 
the flock which his Father had given him, was 
not deftroyed by their going aftray ; but he 
emptied himfelf of the glorious dignity which 
he formerly poflefled, that he might follow 
them through all their wanderings until he 
ihould find and recover them. For this purpofe 
he voluntarily condefcended to enter into all 
the degrees of diftrefs into w^hich they had 
brought themfelves by going aftray from him, 
and even paffed through death itfelf on their 
account ; not that they fliould not come un- 
der diftrefs and deaths, but that he might open 
a way through fufferings and death for their 
recovery ; and that he might make thefe fuffer- 
ings and death, means in his hand for promot- 



110 On the Name of Jefus. 

ing the recovery of his f?ock from all their 
wanderings, and from the confcquences of 
their going aftray. 

As a (hadow of this, though neceflarily a 
faint one, God had placed the children of If- 
rael in the good land which was bieffed with 
the bleffings of the Lord, and while they 
abode in his ftatutes they enjoyed thefe bleff- 
ings ; but when they rebelled againft the Lord 
they were caft out of this good land \ not 
however till grace was given them, and a re- 
turn promifed ; and in the whole of the deal- 
ings of God with them, by his fervants w^hom 
he fent unto them, it appears that he ftill lov- 
ed them, and kept his covenant and mercy 
for them, and declared that the deliverer J}:>Guld 
come out of Zion and turn aivay ungodltnefs from 
Jacob. And all his judgments upon them, 
however fevere, were fo many evidences of his 
waiting that he might be gracious unto them, 
and that as a f^epherd feekcth out his flock in the 
day that he is among his flattered fljeep, fo he 
'mould feek out his fl^eepy and would deliver than 



On the Name of J ejus. 111 

out of all places where they had been fcattered in 
the cloudy and dark day, Ezek. xxxiv. 12. For 
Ijrael had not been forf Liken, nor Judah, of his 
God J of the Lord cf Hojls ; though their land 
was filed with fin againf the - Holy One of 
Ifraely Jer. li. 5. So the good Shepherd 
came, not only to that people to gather in 
the loft (heep of the houfe of Ifrael, but 
he himfelf fays, Other fheep have I which are 
not of this fold ; them alfo I mufl bring, and they 
fjall hear my voice ; and there fjall be one fold 
and one pepherd, John x. 16. All mankind 
had forfaken the way of God, and had turned, 
every one X.o his own way. They did not ajh 
for the , old path, where is the good way, to walk 
therein, that they fiould find ref for their fouls ; 
hut they f aid, we will not walk therein, Jer. vi. 
16. But they were not to be fo given up. 
Our merciful Father had determined to bring 
them again to his way. I am the If^ay, and the 
Truth, and the Life, faid our Lord, John xiv. 
6. A^^ man cometh unto the Father hut hy me. 
It appears probable that Mofes had in view tli€ 



112 0;; the Name of J ejus. 

Reftorer in this character, when he fald, If I 
have found grace in thyftght^ fijew me noiv THY 
Way, that I may know Thee, Exod. xxxiii. 
16. When men are drawn to the Son, they 
find him the way to the Father^ and it is only 
by feeing the Son and believing on him whom 
God hath fent, that they are made to know 
the only true God. The prophet Ifaiah feems 
alfo to refer to the fame charafler of the Mef- 
fiah, chap. XXXV. 8, 9, 10. The nvay of holi^ 
fjefsy in which the unclean fliall not be found, 
nor any ravenous beaft, but the redeemed fjjall 
walk there. Hence the iva^ of the Lord^ the 
nvay of Lfe^ and emphatically, The IVay^ are 1 1 
fo often fpoken of in the Old Teftament, which 
teflitied beforehand the coming, fuiferings, and 
glory of Chriil, as the things which inany pro^ 
phets and righteous men earnefly defired to fee. In 
the ancient oeconcmy, which was a figure of 
the fpiritual, the ordinary way of accefs to the 
prefence of God was through the official mini- 
ftrations of the priefthood. The offerings and 
facrifices were accepted wyen brought accord- 



On the Name of Jefus. 113 

ing to the Divine appointment, and properly 
prefented by the prieft, by whom alfo the pray- 
ers and praifes of the worfhippers were pre- 
fented in the holieft within the vail ; and the 
prieft, having prefented them with blood and 
incenfe before the mercy feat, returned, as the 
medium of intercourfe, to blefs the worfhip- 
pers. In the New Teftament we are inftrucl- 
ed to offer fpiritual facrifices through the Lord 
Jefus. He himfelf has given us to underftand, 
that our prayers and praifes, in his name^ 
come with acceptance before God. He is the 
great High Prieft, Jefus, the Son of God, the 
proper antitype of the high priefts under the 
law ; who has entered not into the holy places 
made with hands, but into heaven itfelf, there 
to appear in the prefence of God for us. The 
apoftle teftifies that we have boldnefs and con- 
fidence through the faith of him in coming to 
the throne of grace to feek mercy, and find 
grace to help us in the time of need, and adds 
that we have boldnefs to enter into the holiefl by 
the blood of Jefus^ BY A new AND LIVING WAY, 
P 



llAf. On the Name of Jejus. 

wliich he hath confecrated for us through the- 
vaily that is to fay^ his Jlefiy Heb. x. 19, 20. 
Hence he ftyles himfelf. The ?F^jy; and adds. 
No ma?i cometh unto the Father but by me. The 
apo/tle, in confirmation, fays, There is one me-* 
iilator between God and men^ the raa?i Chrifl Je- 
fus ; who gave himfelf a ranfom for ally to be 
tejlifed in his own proper times. Thus we are 
led to contemplate Jefus as the only medium 
of intercourfe between God and man \ for 
communicating to mankind the knowledge of 
all the divine perfeclions, in their unceafing 
gracious operations towards the human race ; 
and by the Holy Spirit which he fends, fhed- 
ding abroad the love of God in their hearts, 
and giving unto them repentance and remiffion 
of fins J prefenting their repentance, their con- 
feffions, their prayers and praifes with accept- 
ance before Gcd , pleading for them, as their 
Advocate and Intercefibr j and finally bringing 
them back to their Father, and their God, be- 
fore whom they are inade accepted in the Beloved. 
-^ He feeds his flock like a JJjepherd, He carries 



On the Name cf Jefus, l\6 

the Lambs in his bofom. He fympathifes with 
the weak and fick, ftrengthening them accord- 
ing to their needs, and binds up the lame and 
broken in heart, that he may recover all who 
have gone aflray, and there Jhall be one fold and 
one Jhepherd, Thus will they prefent their bodies 
a living facrijice J devoted, to God as thofe that are 
fnade alive from the dead. 



ri6 On the Name of Jefus. 



LETTER VIL 

The fame SubjeB continued. 

M^LCHISEDEC. ,^— 

n 

JMOSES relates in Gen. xiv. 18, 19, 20, 
that Melchifedeh king of Salem^ 7neeting Abram 
returning from the faughter of the kings ^ brought 
forth bread and ivine ; and he was the Priefl of 
the Mofl High God. And he bleffed him and 
faidy Bleffed be Abram of the Mofl High God^ 
poffejfor of heaven and earth. And bleffed be the 
Mofl High Gody ivhich hath delivered thine efie^ 
mies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of 
all. We do not find his name mentioned 
again in the Old Teftament but only in the 
cxth Pfalm, verfc 4th, The Lord hath fivorn 



Gn the Name of J ejus, 117 

and 'hulil not repent^ Thou art a prlejl for ever^ 
after the order of Melchifedek, 

It is in the New Teftament that we find the 
myftery of Mekhifedek unfolded. In the epif- 
tie to the Hebrews the apoftle explains the de- 
fign of this hiftorical figure, as a type of the 
kingly and prieftly offices united in our Lord 
Jefus Chrift ; when, after his refurreclion from 
the dead, he was fet down on the right hand 
of God •, faluted a prieft upon his throne ; 
holding the counfel of peace. In Heb. vii. the 
apoftle properly obferves, that Melchifedec fig- 
nifies,^r/? by interpretation^ King of Right eouf 
nefsy and as fuch was a glorious type of him 
njoho of God is made unto us righteouf?iefs ; with 
whom the Lord is ivell pleafed for his righteouf- 
nefsy and who Is emphatically ftylcd The Juft 
and Righteous One. The prophetic declarations 
that he floould reign in right eoufnefs^ and that 
he fhould be celebrated as cur Righteoufnefs^ 
abound in the Old Teftament. And the di- 
vine fpirit in the New Teftament teftifies of 
His Righieoufnefsy when he went to the Father, 



118 On the Name of JefuSi 

and was no more to be known after the flefli. 
Melchifcdek was afterwards king of Salem^ 
nvhich is king of Peace. A ftrong figure of him 
who is The Prince of Peace. As the fruit of 
7ighteoufnefs is peace ; fo the peaceful kingdom 
of our Lord naturally refults from his being 
king of righteoufnefs. Hence he is emphati- 
cally ftyled Our Peace. He gives us peace to- 
wards Gody and, flieddirig abroad in our hearts 
thtfpirit of peace y&Yzn his peace ; he deftroys 
that . malice and hatred which feparates man 
from man ; and reconciles ally Jews and Gentiles y 
unto God in one colleElive body by the crofsy hav^ 
ifigflain the enmity thereby. But we never can 
be made partakers of his peaccy without being 
partakers of his righteoufnefs. Hence the ope- 
ration of the Divine Spirit and "Word, admi- 
niftered by him, fulfils in us. the righteoufnefs 
of the law, by not walking after the fleih, but 
after the Spirit ; without which it is impoffi- 
ble for us to be freed from the law of fin and 
death, and delivered from condemnation ; 
therefore the ivifdorn which is from above is firfl 



On the Nams of J ejus, 119 

pure — then peaceable — productive of heavenly 
fpiritual fruits, and the fruit of rlghteoifnefs is 
fown in peace ; in diftinclion from the wifdoni 
that is from beneath^ which is earthly^fe?ifualy de- 
vilifh, full of envying andfrife^ and rcfulting iQ 
confufwn and every evil luorh. 

Melchifedek brought forth for Abraham and 
his followers bread and wine to refrefh them, 
and increafe their ftrength and fpirits — How 
ftrikingly typical of him who gives the living 
bread to thofe engaged in the good fight of 
faith, and promifes The hidden manna to thofe 
who overcome ! of him who gives them ivine 
and milk without money and without price ! who 
gives them the fpirit of the living God^ fo that 
they can do all things through Chriji who 
Jlrengtheneth them ; for they that wait on the Lord 
fball renew their fir en gthy and progrefs till they 
appear before God in Zion. This is the work of 
our Lord in his glorified ftate ; for it was af- 
ter his God and Father had faid, Sit thou at 
my right handy until I make thine enemies thyfoot^ 
fool ; that he conftituted him a prieft by the 



120 On the Name of Jefus. 

word of the oath. When Jehovah had pro- 
mifed to fend the rod of his Jirength out of Ziotij 
by which he fhould 7'ule in the midfl of his ene^ 
mtes ; in confequence of which, his people, 
who were his enemies, and in open rebel- 
lion, fliould voluntarily fubmit themfelves ; te^ 
coming willing in the day vf his power. The day 
of his power is the period during which he mufl 
reign until he hath brought all enemies to his foot^ 
Jlool ; and this fubjeftion of all his enemies to 
him is impoffible to be any thing (hort of vo- 
luntary fubmiiTion ; for all the creation, whe- 
ther willingly or not, have long been necefTa- 
rily fubjeft to the abfolute power and control 
of him to whom all power in heaven and in earth 
is given. It is not poffible, therefore, that there 
can be any kind of fubje£):ion remaining to be 
accomplifhed but one \ that is the fubjedlion 
of the heart and will to him •, and this is in- 
cluded in the promife, thy people fh all he WIL- 
LING in the day of thy power, Jehovah was 
pleafed to add, hi the beauties of hoUnefs^ from 
the womb of the nv^rningj thou haji (orfhalt have) 



I 



On the Name of Jefus. 121 

the dew of thy youth. Does not this part of the 
promife intimate, that when allhis people are 
thus reftored ; purified from every ftain ; 
fparkling in the beauties of fpiritual holinefs, 
as at their firft creation, when the morn- 
ing ftars fang together ; The Righteous Branch 
(hall fhine forth refplendent in his priftine glo- 
ry, adorned with his numberlefs children as at 
the firft ; as the young and vigorous vegetable 
is adorned with the pellucid drops of the morn- 
ing dew ? As every drop of dew, though tranf- 
parent and colourlefs in itfelf, yet exhibits the 
rays of light in all the tints of the rainbow ; fo 
mankind, recovered and united to Chrift, like 
the dew-drops on the tender plant, having no 
tinftiire in themfelves, yet through the light of 
the Sun of Righteoufnefs fhining in them, eve- 
ry one will exhibit the inimitable token of the 
Divine Covenant.^ — The thought is fo exquifitc- 
ly beautiful as infinitely to tranfcend the moft 
exalted of human conceptions. It could only 
be fuggefted by the Spirit of God, and leaves 
the fublimeft flights of the fublimeft Poets at 

Q 



122 On the Name of J ejus. 

an imrneafurable diftance. This Is the change 
which he is waiting for at the right hand of God, 
Heb. X, 13, From henceforth expcElitig till his 
enemies be made his footfool. It is true we fee 
not yet all things put under him ; we fee not 
yet that univerfal fubjc6lion of the heart and 
will to him, which can only be voluntary \ and 
therefore he waiteth that he may be gracious to 
them, when they become capable of tailing that 
the Lord is gracious. But we fee Jefus, who j 
was made a little while lower than the angels, 
that he by the grace of God might tafte death 
for every one, now crowned with glory and ho- 
nour, exalted at God's right hand, faluted a 
Prieft (s/c Toytf/wvrt) to the age, after the fimili- 
tude of Melchifedec. 

Melchifedec blefled Abraham, faying Blejfed 
he Abraham of the Moft High God^ pojfeffor of 
heaven and earth. This, in the figurative ftyle |j 
of the Old Teftament, was the mode of com- 
municating to Abraham, through the prieft of 
the Moft High Godj the fulnefs of heavenly iand 
earthly bleflings, as far as he was. at the time:] 



On the Name of Jejhs. 123 

capable of receiving them. — A ftriking type of 
Him in whom is veiled All power in heaven and 
in earthy and in whom All fulnefs dwells^ for 
the exprefs piirpofe of being communicated to 
all who walk in thejleps of that faith of our father 
Abraham. Thus Jefus, the Antitype of Mel- 
chifedec the king of Salem, blefles the fubjefts 
of his kingdom, by communicating to them, in 
his ofEcial charafter as their great High Prieft, 
the fulnefs of heavenly bleflings from his God 
and their God, according to their needs, and 
their capacity of receiving ; and increafes this 
capacity by fpiritualizing their earthly bleflings, 
that they may perceive therein the love and the 
hand of their heavenly Father, and of their 
High Prieft, who watches over, and is ever 
prefent with them. He added, Blejfed be the 
Mojl High Gody who hath delivered thine enemies 
into thy hand. Thus leading him to contem- 
plate the victory which he had obtained as not 
being the fruit of his own ftrength or wifdom, 
but as the work of God, giving him, through 
the medium of this earthly figure, a view of that 



124 Ofi the Name of J^fus. 

fpiritual victory which his faith fhould obtain, 
through the promifed feed, who makes all his 
followers more than conquerors through his love. 
Abraham accordingly underftood it in this \dewy 
and prcfented to the prieft a tenth of the fpoils, 
as a thank-offering for the viftory, and an ac- 
knowledgment to the Moft High God that eve- 
ry good and perfeft gift flowed from him, ex- 
preffing thereby his gratitude and devotednefs 
to the Moft High God. In the New Tefta- 
ment the apoftle thus exprefles the fentiment, — 
Thanks to God who giveth us the viEiory through 
our Lord J ejus Chri/iy 1 Cor. xv. 57. Thefe 
Spiritual facrifices are offered up to God acceptably 
through Jefus Chrifty the Apojlle and High Priejt 
of our profejjlon. 

Melchifedec is faid tX) be ivithout father y with- 
out mother y without defcent ; having neither begin* 
ning:of daysy nor end of life : but made like utita 
the Son of God y abideth a prieji continually. From 
thefe expreflions fome have concluded that he 
was the Son of God himfelf, made manifeft to 
AbraTiam •, but there is nothing in the text 



On the Name cf Jefus. 125 

which appears to countenance this Idea. He 
was made like unto the Son of God ; this at once 
(hews that he was defigned as a lively type 
of the Son of God ; his abiding a priejl continue- 
ally^ or fo long as h^ lived, was a figure of the 
abiding priefthood of Chrift. The firft part of 
3d verfe appears obvioufly intended to contraft 
the priefthood of Melchifedec with that of the 
family of Aaron, who fucceeded one another 
according to their genealogy. When one high- 
prieft died, another fucceeded according to his 
parentage, and dying in his turn, left the office 
to his fucceffors. But Melchifedec received 
not his priefthood by fucceflion froitj his ancef-^ 
tors, nor left others to fuccecd in his office -, in 
w^hich refpecl he was made like unto the Son of 
God ; which could not have been the cafe, lite- 
rally underftood ; for it is not literally true of 
the Son of God that he was %vithout father^ 
without mother^ without geneahgy : but it is ftrift- 
ly true of him that he derives not his priefthood 
by fucceffion from deceafed anceftors, nor leaves 
it to any fucceffors in office ; but becaufe he con- 



126 On the Name of Jefus. 

tinueth ever^ he hath an unchangeable priejlhood. 
The priefthocd of Chrlft, of which die apoftlc 
here fpeaks, was that for which he was preparing 
while he was on earth •, but he could not beghi 
to exercife his ofnce till he was fet down on the 
right hand of God, having entered by his own 
bloody not into the holy places made with hands j 
m)hich were figures of the true ; but into heaven 
itfelf^ there to appear in the prefence of God for us. 
That fuch was the meaning of the apoflle, ap- 
pears from his dating, that the defcent or genea^ 
logy of Mclchifedec was not counted from ancef- 
tors, from whom he inherited the right to re- 
ceive tythes ; and with refpecl to Chrift, that, 
if he were on earthy he could not be a priejl. 

The phrafe, having neither beginning of days 
nor end of life ; feems plainly a contrail to the 
legal period of the Levitical fervice, which was 
to begin in the houfe of Kohath (and all the 
priefls were of the line of Kohath, compare 
Exod. vi. 18, with Nmnb. xxvi. 58 — 60) when 
they were thirty years old, and to clofe when 
they were fifty years old, Numb. iv. 3, &c. But 
there was no time fpecified when the prieft- 



On the Name of J ejus. 127 

hood of Melchifedec began, nor when it was 
to clofe •, that being made like unto the Son of 
Gody his priefthood might be commenfurate 
with his day ; that he might be a lively figure 
of him vjho is before all things ^ by ivhom all 
things conftft ; who was from ancient times the 
medium of intercourfe between the Supreme 
God and his creatures, the channel of Divine 
communications. No beginning of Melchife- 
dec's days being fpecified/was proper that he 
might reprefent him who could fay, Before the 
day nvas I am he. Ifai. xliii. 13. and before 
Abraham was I am. John viii. 5^. No end of 
life fpecified in the reprefentative of him, who, 
hecaufe he continueth ever hath an unchangeable 
prieflhoody conftituted a prieft not after the law 
of a carnal commandment, but after the power of 
an endlefs life. Therefore he muft continue in 
that exalted dignity to which he is leftored, till 
the end for which he exercifes it (hall be ac- 
complifhed, in the perfeft and voluntary fub- 
jection of every heart — every will unto him ; 
then will the Son deliver up the kingdom to Gody 
even the Father ^ that God may be The All in AIL 



128 On the Name of Jefus. 

The apoftle invites us to conftder how great 
this man was to whom even the patriarch Abra- 
ham gave the tenth of the fpoilsy who received thefe 
iythes of Abraham^ and blejfed him that had the 
promifesy reckoning that without all contradiElion^ 
the lefs is blejfed of the better. The greatnefs of 
Mclchifedec confifted in his being honoured to 
be a living figure of the Son of God, as King of 
Righteoufnefsy King of Peace^ and Prieft of the 
Mojl High God. Not as a man of forrows and 
acquainted with grief but in the glorious cha- 
rafters which he now fuflains. Rifen from 
the dead, and exalted with the right hand of God^ 
far abqve all principalityy and power j and mighty 
and dominion y und every name that is namedy not 
only in the prefent age but alfo in that which is to 
come. Sitting and ruling, a prieji upon his throncy 
holding the eounfel of peace ; the Seed to whom the 
promifes were made ; and under whofe admini- 
jftrationof the Divine purpofes the promifes are 
carrying forward to their fulfilment. Not like 
the priefts of the family of Aaron, who fucceed- 
cd to ^Q oSiSX aeeording to the law <f a carnal 



Oil the Name of J ejus. M9 

ummandment ; but conftituted after the power of 
an endlefs life^ by the word of the oath which 
teftified, Thou art apriejl to the age after theftmU 
litude or order of Melchifedec. Being thus confti- 
tuted he became the furety of a better covenant^ of 
which he is the one Mediator, and always con- 
tinuing, his priefthood paffeth not from him by 
fucceffion ; wherefore he is able tofave or rejlore per- 
fectly all who come unto God by him^ fe^i^g he ever 
liveth to make interceffion for them. Such a' High 
Priejl was necejfary for us ; one who is holy^ harm- 
lefs^ undefledy feparate from finnerSy and made 
higher than the heavens. Not needing daily to 
offer fm-offerings like the priefts who had infir- 
mity ; but having offered one facrifice for fins 
through his whole life ; fat down at the right hand 
9f God. (So Dr. M^Knight tranflates Heb. x. 
12.) . , 

Abraham, by receiving the blcffing and giv- 
ing tythes, feems to have confidered Melchife- 
dcc in this very light ; and doubtlefs faw afar 
off the day of Jefus Chrift, the Promifed Seed, 
exhibited in this diftinguifhed type of the Son 
R 



ISO On the Name of Jefus. 

of God, who was fo admirably adapted to fore* 
fhew to the patriarch the day of his power, while 
he fhould fit on the right hand of God until all 
the people fhould willingly fubmit themfelves 
unto him and every one of ihem be blejjed in 
being turned away from his iniquittesy ac- 
cording to the interpretation which the Holy 
Spirit has given of the bleflednefs where- 
with all nations were to be blefled in the Pro-, 
mifed Seed, Afts iii. 26; and feeing this, 
the patriarch rejoiced in the profpeft, believing 
that what God had promifed, and thus exhibit- 
ed to him in a figure, he was able alfo to per- 
form, and therefore his heart was glad. Abra- 
ham, though the friend of God, and the father 
of the faithful, is confidered as fo much lefs 
than Melchifedec as to be blefled bv him — -Tk^ 
lefs is blejfed of the better. In the New Tefta- 
ment we fee that Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and 
all the moft dignified and diftinguifhed friends 
of the Lord, moft cordially bend the knee in'j 
the name of Jefus, and confefs with the mouth- 
that he Is Lord, to the glory of God the Father ^ 



il 



On the Nafne of J ejus. 131 

receiving with humility and gratitude the blelT- 
ings which the Antitype beftows. This is in 
fa£l: the very objeft which the apoftle had in 
view, to {hew the glorious fuperiority which 
Chrift poffefles over all created beings, and his 
boundlefs capacity to blefs them all as their 
circumftances require, according to the will of 
God ; which had been forefhewed to Abraham 
in the typical Melchifedec, in which was mani- 
fefted that the PoJJeJfor of heaven and earthy has 
all the fulnefs of heavenly and earthly bleffings, 
which he gracioufly condefcends to communi- 
cate through the appointed Mediator, according 
to the purpofes of his unerring wifdom and 
goodnefs. 

If we look into the hiftory of Melchifedec, 
with a view to gratify our curiolity with that 
kind of knowledge which puffeth up, we will 
furely be difappointed, for that is a purpofc, 
which it obvioufly appears, by its brevity, God 
never defigned to be anfwered by it ; but if we 
contemplate it in that view, in which the wif- 
dom of God fo plainly prefents this interefting 
type of the glorious dignity and power of our 



132 On the Name of J ejus, 

exalted Saviour before us, we fhall find nothing 
defeflive ; but that the record is as full and 
perfefl: as the nature of the fubjeft required. 
The Apoftles and firft Chriftians gloried in 
Chrift, in this his exalted character ; they con- 
templated him as raifed from the dead to die 
no more ; but eftablifhed in the power of an end- 
lefs life ; and clothed with the fuhiefs of divine 
power ; filled with the fulnefs of divine love ; 
pojfefftng all the refources of infinite wifdom^ good- 
nefsy and might ; they rejoiced in the perfe£l 
and infallibly well-grounded confidence, that 
he is able to fave to the uttermojf^ all ivhocome un^ 
to God through him. They knew that he was 
exalted for this very purpofe, that he might 
conduft them in the way wherein they fhould 
go, and to make them more than conquerors 
through his love ; that when weary and exhauft- 
ed he might refrefh them with the bread of God, 
with living water, with wine and milk without 
money or price ; and that he fliould receive and 
prefent with acceptance before the throne of 
God, their facrifices of praife and thankfulnefs ; 



On the Name of J ejus. 133 

that he might communicate to them the b!ef- 
fmgs of heaven from above, and the bleflings of 
the earth beneath ; that by the anointing from 
the Holy One, he might fpiritualize all their 
earthly bleflings ; that by making them deeply 
fenfiblethat all their bleflings proceeded from the 
Mojl High Gody Pojpjfor of heaven and earthy as 
preludes to that fulnefs of joy which is at his 
right hand, he might lead them to confider 
themfelves as pilgrims on the earth, travelling 
towards their Father's country, to the manfions 
prepared for their reception. They believed that 
Jefus is the Chrijl^ the Son of Gody and believing^ 
they had life through his name. 



134 On the Work of Jefus Chrift. 



LETTER VIII. 

On the Work of Jefus Chrift — Atonement — Pro- 
pitiation—The Harmony of the Divine Perfec- 
tions* I 

n 
I 

XN contemplating the work of our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, we are led by the New Teftament, to 
confider him as the Spiritual Antitype of thofe 
earthly figures which forefhewed to the ancient 
believers the power ajtd coming of the Holy 
and Juji One ; and by the fame record we are 
taught to confider the work which he accom- 
plices as zfpiritual work. When therefore we 
read in Heb. vii. 27, that he offered up himfelf ; 
we are led to underftand that this offering up 
of himfelf muft have been, not on earthy hut in 
heaven ; for if he were on earth he could not be a 



On the Wcrh of Jefus Chrijl. 135 

priejly filing there are priejls that offer gifts ac- 
cording to 'the law ; who ferve with the examples 
and fhadows of heavenly things^ chap. viii. 4, 5, 
who would not have fufFered him to officiate in 
the earthly tabernacle, as he fprang out of Ju- 
dah, of which tribe Mofes fpake nothing con- 
cerning the priefthood ; nor would he have of- 
ficiated in it, as his miniftrations were of a fpi- 
ritual nature, to be performed In the fanBuary 
and the true tabernacle nvhich the Lord hath pitch-- 
edy and not man. Hence the Apoftle fays. By 
his own bloc d he entered once into the holy place ^ 
chap. ix. 12; and in verfe 14, we learn that 
Chrijly through the Eternal Spirit^ offered himfelf 
without f pot to God ; and verfe 24, for Chrijl is 
not entered into the holy places made nvith hands^ 
which are figures of the True ; but into heaven 
itfelf now to appear in the prefence of God for us* 
As it was not into the earthly ^ but into the 
heavenly holy place that Jefus entered ; fo it 
was not a carnal ^ but a fpiritual facrifice^ that 
he offered. When he entered in through his 
own hlocd^ it is nearly equivalent to the exprcf- 



136 On the Work of Jefus Chrijl. 

fion, he offered hlmfelf through the Holy Spirits 
It is the fame word («^'tf, through) that is ufed 
in both paflages. The nature of the fubje6l 
feems to forbid the fuppofition of our Lord's 
oiFering material blood in heaven, as the high- 
prieft on the day of atonement offered material 
blood in the earthly holy place. The carnal or- 
dinance of the high-prieft offering the blood of 
heajls in the earthly holiejl^ was an earthly figure 
of the fpiritual offermg of Chrifl in the true taber- 
nacle. This fpiritual offering up of himfelf to God ; 
which had been prefigured by the entire con- 
fuming of the fin-offering by fire ; prefents to our 
view our Lord's perfect and entire devoting of 
himfelf to do the will of God, not in profeffion 
only, but in fact •, of which his perfedl obedi- 
ence unto the death, was the moft demonflra- 
tive evidence. As the high-priefl could not 
enter into the typical holieft, without the blood 
of the fin-offering ; fo Chrifl could not enter 
into the true holiefl till he fhould enter through 
his own blood, having perfefted his obedience 
unto the death. Thus it was written of him, 



On the Work of Jefus Chrift. 137 

and thus it behoved Chrift to fubmit himfelf 
willingly to fufFer death in obedience to the will 
of the Father, and then to enter into his glory. 
This refignation of his own will to the will of 
his God and Father, is thus exprefled by him- 
felf, John vi. 38, I came down from heaven ^ not to 
do mine own will ; but the will of him who fent me ; 
again in chap. x. 17, 18, therefore doth my Fa- 
ther love me^ hecaufe I lay down my foul that I 
might take it again ; no one taketh it from me^ hut 
I lay it down of msfelf; I have power (or autho- 
rity ) to lay it down^ and I have power te take it 
again ; this commandment have I received of my 

Father ; again, / know that his commandment is 

life everlafling^ chap. xii. 50. / have kept my 
Father s commandment and abide in his love^ chap. 
XV. 10. Correfponding with this, the apoftle, 
referring to what was wTitten concerning him, 
reprefents him, Heb. x. as taking away the car- 
nal facrifices, that he might eftablifh the moft 
perfeft and unreferved refignation and fpiritual 
obedience to the will of God, of which the for- 
mer were the fhadows or figures. IFhen he 
S 



158 Oh the Work of Jejus Chrij}. 

faidj Sacrifice^ and offering, and hurnt-offerings^ 
and facrifices for fin, thou ivillefl not, nor haf 
pleafure therein ; then he f aid, Lo ! I come, to do, 
God, thy will ; he taheth aiuay the firfl that he 
may eflabli/h the Second. This truly fpiritual obe- 
dience of the heart is that worfhip which alone 
can be acceptable to God, who is a Spirit, and 
muft be worfhiped in fpirit and in truth ; where- 
of the ancient typical worfhip was a figure ; 
and the fpirit and the truth of that figure was 
mofl perfeftly exemplified in our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, who delighted to do the will of God, and 
in ivhofe heart ivas God*s law, — Such is the pat- 
tern of perfecStion held up to our view in the Sa- 
cred Record, to which we mufl be conformed, 
according to the Divine predcflination •, for he 
that is perfect flj all be as his maficr \ that behold- 
ing as in a mirror the glory of our Lord, we may 
experience the affimilating power of his glori- 
ous example, and be changed into the fame image ; 
from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord, 

The language of the New Teftamcnt, parti- 
cularly what relates to our Lord's work ae the^ 



On the Work of Jefus Chfifi. 1%^ 

high-prieft, is fo intimately conneftcd with, 
and indeed founded upon, the manner in which 
the tabernacle fervice is exprefled in the former 
difpenfation, that fome attention to the Old 
Teftament fervice is of great ufe, in order to" 
enable us the better to underftand the meaning- 
of the New Teflament on this all-important 
fubject. This is one of the many reafons which 
ought to draw forth our thankfulnefs for that 
Divine Providence which hath tranfmitted the 
Old Teftament down to our times. The impor- 
tance of this bleffing will more particularly ap- 
pear by comparing fome expreflions which oc- 
cur but feldom in the New Teftament, with 
their more frequent ufe in the former econo- 
my ; we may take for inftance, the term, Atone* 
menty which in the Englifti tranflation of the 
New Teftament occurs only once \ but in the 
Old Teftament is found about fixty times. 

The High Prieft was to make an Atonement for 
himfelf and for his houfehold ; when individu- 
als or the whole people had finned ignorantly 
or knowingly •, when they complied with the 



UO On the Work of J ejus Chrift. 

Law, bringing their fin-ofFering and confefling 
their fin, he was to offer the blood of the fin-of- 
fering, and make an Atonement for them. He was 
to make an Atonement for the Altar feven days, 
and to cleanfe and anoint it to fanjftify it. Exod. 
xxix. 36, 37. On the tenth day of the feventh 
month, he was to make an Atonement for the 
Holy Sanftuary, for the Tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, for the Altar, for the Prieft, and 
for all the people of the congregation. This was 
to be an everlafting ftatute unto them to make 
an Atonement for the children of Ifrael for all 
their fins, once a year, Levit. xvi. 33, 34. We 
read, chap. vi. 30, that the blood is brought into 
the Tabernacle to reconcile with. When Aaron 
fan(ftified the Altar to make Atonements upon It, 
he fanftified it to make reconciliation upon it, 
chap. 8. 15. hence the blood with which recon- 
ciliation is made, is faid to make Atonement for 
the Soul ; thus alfo in Ezek. xlv. 20, we read of 
reconciling the houfcy as Aaron was faid to have 
reconciled the Holy place and the Tabernacle of 
the congregation, Lev. xvi. 20. It appears alfo 



On the Worl of Jefus Chrijl. 141 

in numerous inftances, that Atonement was 
conne(fled with cleatifing the finner from all his 
fins, and with his xQCQiving forgivenefs of all his 
fins. Thus in Levit. xiv. 20, when the Priefl 
makes Atonetnent for the Leper, he fhall be 
ckauy and in chap. xvi. 30, the Atonement was 
to be made for the people to cleanfe them^ that 
they might be clean from all their fins before the 
Lord. It would appear, from the general view 
of the fubje£l, that Atonement fignifies Reconcili" 
at ion. When Atonement was made for a fin- 
ner, he was reconciledy he was cleanfed from his 
fins, and his ftns ivere forgiven. This will far- 
ther appear, by confidcring that the lifey or ra- 
ther the foul of all flefh is in the blood thereof 
Levit. xvii. 11, and according to the Law, the 
fhedding and fprinkling the blood of the fin of- 
fering, was an emblem, not only of turning 
away from fome particular fin ; but of devot- 
ing to utter deftru£lion the life a?jdfoul of fin, 
for without fhedding of blood there is no remif- 
^ fion, Heb. ix. 22, and every particular atone^ 
menty in reconciling the ftnner to Gody and to his 



142^ On the Work of Jefus Chrijl. 

brethren^ was a death-ftroke to the life of fin. 
The offering of half a fhekel for a ranfom for the 
foul, was an atonement for the foul, Exod. xxx. 
12, 16, reprefenting in emblem that when they 
were numbered for the people of the Lord, they 
mull be devoted to his fer vice ; and muft forfake 
the love of the worlds of which this ranfom was 
an emblem and token, that there might be fio 
plague among them when they were fo number- 
ed. — All fouls are the Lord^s, The rich and the 
poor are of equal eftimation in his fight. Our 
Lord has teOified that no one can be his difci- 
ple without forfaking all that he hath, Luke xiv. . 
33. All who would polTefs the pearl of great 
price, the hidden treafure — muft obtain it at 
the fame price-^muft forfake all that he hath 
from the old man — the lufl ofthefefhy the lufl 
of the eyes J and the pride of life. This is the one 
way appointed for all who (hall be written 
among the living ; the people of Gody upon whom 
there is no plague or condemnation. The Apoftle 
explicitly declares that if any man love the world 
the love of the Father is not in him^ 1 Jojin ii. 15^ 



On the JFcrk of Jefus Chrift. US 

[6y he remaineth among thofe who Jh all he 
ivritten in the earthy Jer. xvii. 13. 

In the New Teftament, the term, Atonement 
occurs in Rom. v. 11. Here there is no room to 
doubt of its fignif ying recGnciliation, This will 
evidently appear by reading the 10th and 11th 
verfes in tlie connection wherein the divine fpi- 
rithas placed them \for ify when we were enemies^ 
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, 
much morcy being reconciled , wejha/l befavedby 
his life; and not only foy but we a] fo joy in God 
through our Lord Jefus Chri/ij by whom we have 
now received the reconciliation. Accordingly the 
German tranflation has fo rendered the word. 
The fame Greek word is properly rendered re- 
concilingy chap. xi. 15, and reconciliation ^ 2 Ccr. 
V. 18, 19. In thefe paflages, (and the word 
is found no where elfe in the New Teftament,) 
the meaning is fo decidedly that of reconciling 
man to God, as to leave no kind of doubt that 
this is the very idea which the fpirit of God in- 
tended to exprefs to us by the term. Yet how 
greatly has the meaning of the term Atcnefnent 



144 On the JVori of Jefus Chrij}, 

been miftaken or perverted, by being confider- 
ed as expreflive of reconciling God to man ! an 
idea never to be found in the facred record. 
The Englifti word propitiation^ has alfo been 
confidered in the fame fenfe, as if the defign 
of the expreffion was that Jefus Chrift came to 
render God the Father propitious or merciful 
to mankind. This term occurs in Rom. iii. 25. 
In Heb. ix. 5, the fame word is properly tranf- 
lated Mercy-feat ; precifely the fame idea is gi- 
ven in Rom. iii. 25, where our Lord is repre- 
fented as the proper antitype of the mercy feat 
under the old covenant. It was on the mercy- 
featy between the cherubim that the prefence 
of the Lord was manifefted in his proper cha- 
racter, merciful and gracious. It wzsfrcm the 
Mercy featy after the fprinkling of the blood, 
that the Lord was pleafed to convey to the wor- ' 
fhippers, mercy and pardon of fins, through the 
medium of the High Prieft. This was the ve- 
ry reafon of its being ftyled the Mercy feat. Now 
God hath fet forth Jefus Chriji a Mercy-feat 



On the Work of Jefus Chrijl. 145 

through faith in his blood. — ^He is at once the true 
Mercy-feat and the true High Priefl^ whereof the 
former were earthly figures. It is in him alone^ 
that the Divine Mercy is treafured up for fin- 
ners. It is through him alone that the Mercy of 
God is conveyed to the true worfhippers, 
through faith in his blood. Neither is there Salva^ 
iion in any other. This word occurs only in thefe 
two paflages in the New Teftament, but is of 
frequent occurrence in the Old Teftament, 
where it, or rather the Hebrew term anfwering 
to it, is the name of the lid or covering of the 
Ark of the Covenant made of pure gold, which 
w^as the Mercy-feat. Another word, related to 
this, which is alfo tranflated propitiation, is 
found in 1 John ii. 2, and iv. 10, and which 
relates to our Lord in the charader of High 
Prieft, as the bearer o-r bringer of Mercy for our 
fins. The ApoiUe, who well underltood the 
fubjefV, has dated it fo explicitely, as not to be 
eafily mifunderftood : Herein is the love ; not that 
ive loved Gody tut that he loved uSy andfent his 
Son the Mercy-bearer for our fins. 1 John iv. 10. 
T 



146 On the Work of Jefus Chrjjh 

Were it not that what we are accuftomed 
to. hear becomes fo familiar to us that we fre- 
quently let it pafs almoft without notice, and 
more frequently without examination, we might 
well be aftoniflied that the terms atonement 
znd propitiation y as they ftand in the fcriptures, 
fhould ever have been deemed fufceptible of 
fuch a conftruftion as to fupport the notion 
that God hated mankindy and %uas their enemy ; 
when the whole of Divine revelation, from the 
beginning to the end ; the whole of the gofpel 
without one pcffible exception, is nothing elfc, 
means, and in truth can mean nothing elfe but 
the moft perfect difplay of the unalterable good- 
nefs and love of God to mankind. Is it not a moft 
unqueftlonable truth, that the tejiimonyof Jefus 
is thejpirit of prophecy F The moft perfeft inter- 
pretation of all the revelations which God had 
given to mankind ; the fum and defign of the 
whole ? Let us then hear him. He teftifies that 
God fa loved the world that he gave his only-begot^ 
ten Son^ that iiohofoever believeth in himfh(mld mi 
pertfhy but have ever lofting life ; for Godfrnt not 



On the Work ^f Jefiis Chr0. U? 

his Son into th^ world to condemn the ivorid ; but 
that the ivorJd through him might befaved. He 
came in obedience to his Father, and tcftified, 
faying, the Son of man is not come to dejlroy men^s 
fouls but to fave them^ Ltike ix. 56, compare 
John xii. 47. Thus we are taught to know that 
Divine Principle .^ which is the fpring and princi- 
ple of all the dealings of God with man — all 
that he ever did — now does — or ever will do to 
the human race, invariably flows from that Di« 
tine Principle, infinite^ eternal ^unchangeable Lovti, 
When he forgives and cleanfes the repenting 
fmner, it is Love \ it is Love that breaks the 
ftubborn heart and teaches it to learn of Jefus 
to be meek and lowly ; it is Love that heals the 
broken heart ; it is Love that bows down the 
fiifF-necked to fubmit unto the righteoufnefs 
of God \ it is Love that raifeth up the bowed- 
down ; it is Love that comforts and encourages 
the humble followers of Jefus Chrift ; it is 
Love that punifhcs the haughty and rebellious 
who will not have him to reign over them ; it 
is Love that, in a future ftate, will bring the 



148 On the Work of Jefiis Chrift. 

lovers of the Lord Jefus Chrift to fit with him 
on his throne, to be pillars in the temple of his 
God ; and it is Love that will caft thofe who 
then fhall be found to hate him, into that 
dreadful ftate of mifery which will terminate in 
the fecond death ; in a word, it is Love that 
conflraineth the followers of our Lord to live 
unto him, and it is Love that inflifts mifery on 
thofe who follow him not, but live unto them- 
felvcs ; and as it is the fame Divine principle 
which operates in all thofe things, it is the 
fame Divine end, that, all thefe means, un- 
der the direction of this principle, contri- 
bute to accomplifli, for Godfent not his Son into 
the world to condemn the world but that the world 
through him might be faved. He came not to de- 
flroy men^s fouls y but tofave them. 

It has been often faid that Divine juftice is 
glorified in the mifery and death of the finner, 
and that mifery and death, even eternal death 
and eternal mifery are neceflary to fatisfy Di- 
vine juftice. As to the elefV, the fufFerings and 
death of Chrift fatisfied the juftice of God for 



On the JVorh of Jefus Chrljl. 149 

them. Alas ! we know but little indeed of the 
charafter of God, if we fuppofe that his juf- 
tice can ever be fatisfied by the mifery and 
death of his own offspring — if we fuppofe it 
poflible that Divine Juftice can be fatisfied with 
any thing lefs than a perfefl conformity to the 
Law of Love, The jujiice of God h manifefted 
in all its requirements, in his Law which is fpi- 
ritual, holy, jufl, and good ; and which admits 
of no alternative — no equivalent ; this Law is 
fummed up and thus exprefled by the Son of 
God himfelf, thou fhalt love the Lord thy God 
tuith all thy heart j and 'with all thy mind, and with 
all thy foul, and with all thy frength ; and thou 
fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. Divine Juftice 
never was, and never will be fatisfied with any 
thing lefs nor with any thing elfe than this. It 
is not pofTible that the juftice of God can be 
fully fatisfied till every intelligent being, by the 
all-powerful influence of the Spirit of Love, 
fliall be fo conformed to the image of our Lord 
Jefus Chrift, that the righteoufnefs of the Law 
of Love fliall be fulfilled in them, walking not 



150 On the Work of Jefus Chrift. 

after the flefh but after the Spirit. No fubfti- 
tute, no alternative can be of any avail. Every 
part of the conduct: of God tov^^ards man^ vt^he- 
ther manifeftations of goodnefs or of feverlty, 
whether In the prefent, or in any future ftate 
of exiftcnce, until this perfeftion of Love is ac- 
complifhed, which cafteth out fear ; in the na- 
ture of the thing, can only be means, prepara- 
tive fteps in the procefs which God is carrying 
on by Jefus Chrifl for the attainment of this 
end ; which is the only refult that can be ivelU 
plcaftng and acceptable to God. 

The uniform tellimony of Scripture repre- 
fents God, as he truly is, infinitely perfe<fl. Not 
only that each of his attributes is perfeft ; but 
alfo that in every work of God there is an infi- 
nitely perfect harmony of all the Divine per- 
feftions. In every exercife of his goodnefs, 
his faithfulnefs and his jullice are equally ex- 
ercifed and glorified at the fame time, in the 
fame work, towards the fame objeft. The Di- 
vine Spirit has exprefled this fentiment better 
than anv man can do. If ive confefs our fins ^ 



On the JVork of Jefus Chrift. 151 

he is faithful and jujl to forgive us our ftns^ and 
to cleanfe us from all unrightecufnefs , 1 John i. 9. 
In every exercife of his feverity, his goodnefs 
and love are equally exercifed in the fame work, 
at the fame time, towards the fame objefl:. — 
He chafleneth for our profit^ that we may be par ^ 
takers of his holinefs. Heb. xii. 10. There- 
fore, when he (heweth mercy, it as certainly 
flows from \{\s jujlice as from his goodnefs ; and 
when he inflideth punifhment, it is equally the 
exercife of his love and of his jujlice. 

But it has been faid, " thefe things relate to 
the dealings of God with men in this prefent 
life." True ; and if ever God fhould ceafe to be 
the fame abfolutely perfc£l Being \ if ever it 
fhould ceafe to be true that with Him there is 
no variablenefs nor fJjadow of turning ; then he 
may aft upon principles diametrically oppofitc 
to thefe \ but till fuch change take place, it 
muft remain abfolutely impoffible for any one 
of the Divine Perfeftions to be truly honoured 
by the degradation of another, therefore his 
goodnefs can never be glorified, without his 



152 On the IVork of Jefus LhriJ}. 

juftice to the fame individual being at the fame 
time in full operation, and his juftice can never 
be glorified, without his love to the fame indi- 
vidual beino' in full operation and exercife at 

o 1 

the fame time. 



God is Love. 153 



LETTER IX. 



iJod is Love. — Mijlaken views of the charaEla 
of God^ and the work of Chrift, 

yyOD is Lovey faith the apoftle, by the Di- 
vine Spirit, which fearcheth all things^ even 
the deep thiiigs of God ; and it is the unfa- 
thomable depth of the love of God which pajjeth 
knowledge that is opened to us and in us by the 
Holy Spirit, that we might be filled with all 
his fulnefs. Ephcf. iii. 16 — 19. This was the 
fum of the teftimony of the holy men of God 
who fpake in various meafures, as they were 
moved by the Holy Spirit, and v/hich the Son 
of God came to give us a more ample difcove- 
ry of J for tio one knoweth the Father five the Son^ 

u 



lo^ God is Love. 

and he to whom the Sonf:aIl reveal him. Every 
one in whom the Son reveals the Father, is 
taught to know and believe the love that God 
hath to him, fo as to live in that love ; and to 
know that God is Love ; and he that dwelleth i/i 
Lovey dwelleth in God and God in him. 1 John iv. 
16. God fo loved the worlds faith the faithful 
witnefs, that he gave his only-begotten Son. If 
we inquire for a moment what was the ftate of 
mankind when Godfo loved them^ we fliall find 
fron:i the teftimony of Divine Truth that they 
were walking in the vanity of their minds ; hav- 
ing the underjlanding darhenedy being alienated 
from the life of God through the ignorafice that is in 
theniy tecaufe of the blindnefs of their hearts. IVho 
being pajl feeliftg^ have given themf elves over unto 
lafcivioufnefsy to work all uncleanncfs with grecdi^ 
nefs. Foolifhy difobedienty deceivedy ferving divers 
lufls and pleafureSy living in malice and envyy 
hateful and hating one another. Manifejling the 
enmity of their minds in wicked works. In this 
very ftat^ God loved themy andfo loved themy that 
he fent his Son to be he Saviour of the world. 



'God if Lov€, ia^ 

i he love of God to mankind never ^^^^ nor 
was poffible to be, interrupted, becaufe his love 
is unchatigeable in its own nature, Notwithftand- 
ing their wickednefs, he remained their unalter- 
able friend. This is the true reafon why the 
Scriptures never fpeak of recotmling God to man- 
kind. Reconciliation y from the very nature of 
the thing, can only be poffible when love and 
friendfhip have been deftroyed or interrupted ; 
but the love of God, and his kindnefs towards 
mankind, remaining unchangeable ; nothing 
was needed to reconcile kimy or difpofe him to he 
gracious to themy for he was already unalterably 
fo. Although their tranfgreffions do render 
them infenfible of his goodnefs, tliey cannot 
deftroy his love, becaufe he remaineth faithful ; 
and when they are brought to know the Lord, 
then they underftand that his loving kindnefs, 
like himfelf, cannot be changed. This is the 
true reafon of the Apctftle's teftimony, that no 
created thing can he ahle to feparaie us from 
the love of Gody which is in Christ Jefus our 
•^.vrd. We may turn away from the love of 



156 God is Love. 

God, and become alienated from him; but 
nothing ever did, nor ever can quench his love; 
and that love of God will overcome all oppofi- 
tion, and finally reftore all his fallen offspring to 
the underftanding and eternal enjoyment of 
their Father's love. 

It was the hindnefs and love of God our Saviour 
toward man, which appeared in the fending of 
the only-begotten Son of God to be the Savi- 
our of the world ; not a kindnefs and love 
which only then began ; ftill lefs was it kind- 
nefs and love to which God was difpofed by the 
death of Chrift; but it then appeared, as God's 
ancient charafter, merciful and gracious. It was 
the manifeftation of the grace ivhick was given 
us in Chrift Jefus before the world began. The 
Apoftle afks, If God be for us who can be againjl 
us f He that /pared not his own Son, but deliver- 
ed him up for us alU howfljall he not with him al- 
fo freely give us all things^^ Every thing that is 
good and perfe<5t comes to us as a gift from the 
Father of Lights, They are the gifts of his grace ; 
emanations from the overflowing and inexhaufti- 



God is Love. 157 

' bic fountain of Divine Goodnefs, which em- 
braces in its operations all the works of his 
hands. Tlie Scripture character of God is pe- 
culiarly emphatic. He is good and doeth 
GOOD. His very nature is goodnefs itfelf. Hence 
our Lord fays there is none good but One God, He 
is the original felf-fuSfiftent fountain of good- 
nefs, whence all goodnefs in any other being is de- 
rived; or rather, wherever there is goodnefs, it is 
God himfelf dwelling there : therefore it is faid of 
Jefus Chrift, the image of the invifible God. He 
nvent about doing good ; and herein he exhibited 
a vifible manifeftation of the Divine character, 
fhcwing that the Father dwelt in him and he in 
the Father. But as there is not, and cannot 
pofhbly be, any real goodnefs without jujiice 
and faithfuhiefi \ therefore the exercife of juf- 
tice and faithfulnefs is in fa el the exercife of 
Divine goodnefsj and cannot poffibly be other- 
wife. Hence the Apoflle, who was taught by 
the Holy Spirit to know this, exprefles this ve- 
ry Idea, when he declares the manifeflation of 
the Divine charafter in the forgivcnefs of fin. 



15B God is Love, 

It was not neceffary for him to ufe the term, 
Goodnefs^ but he perfectly exprefled the fame 
thing, when he faid, if nve confefs our ft f is ^ He 
€SFAITHFUL AND JUST to forgive US ourftnsy and 
to cleanfe us from all unrighteoufnefs. It is the un- 
fpeakable excellence and perfection of the cha- 
rafter of God, as unfolded in his defigns and 
dealings refpecting mankind, that is the true 
^ound or foundation of the Law of Love \ the 
peculiar privilege of thofe who knonv the only 
true Gody and Jefus Chrifi <iuhom he hath fent. 
No command could make them lave the Lord 
their Gody without apprehending the Divine 
amiablenefs and perfection of his charafter. It 
is the perception of this, and the knowledge and 
belief that he has loved them, which fills their 
hearts with lowlinefs and love. Hence it is 
the law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus, 
opening in their hearts the deep things of God ^ 
which fulfils in them the righteoufnefs of the 
Law of Love, delivers them from the law of fin 
and death, and fets them free from condemna- 
tion y for there is no law againft them. 



God is Love. 159 

With fuch glorious views as the Sacred Re- 
cords give us of the character and conduft of 
God, does it not appear adonifhing, that the 
phrafe, the doclrine of Atonement^ fhould have 
become a technical phrafe, to exprefs the ftrange 
unfcriptural notion, that God the Father hated 
jnankind and was their enemy ; and that Jefus 
Chrijl^ hy his bloody quenched the fiery wrath of 
an angry God^ and renonciled him to man P or ra- 
ther, that he fatiated the vengeance of an other- 
wife implacable God, by ftandnig in the room of 
certain finners, having theirguilt imputed to him, 
and bearing and exhaufting the whole weight 
of infinite wrath in their flead ; fo that having 
paid the whole of their infinite debt •, having ren- 
dered a perfecl fatisfaflion to what is called in- 
finite juftice, for their fins, they are fet free ; 
God the Father having no claim on them, his juf- 
tice being completely fatisfied. As Jefus Chrift 
is faid to have fufFered in their ftead, by having 
their guilt imputed to him \ fo they are confider- 
ed as being jufiified by having his righteouf- 
nefs imputed to them. Therefore Jefus Chrift 
is faid to have purchafed for them, the love and 



160 God is Love. 

favour of God ; to have purchaled falvation^y 
eternal Ufe^ and a heavenly inheritance. — Some 
have gone fo far as to fay that he even purchaf- 
ed the Holy Ghofl for them ; confequently they 
claim juftificatlon and all thefe privileges as a 
matter of rights on the right of Pur chafe or Merit 
the Merit of Chrij? s Bloody which mufi: have been 
more than iifnite^ to overcome ififinite wrath 
and enmity y — and to purchafe infinite benefits. 
This appears to be the reafon why, in fo many 
prayers, all benefits are alked and expe6ted, 
for the Merits of Jfus Chrifiy and requefts are 
made that God would be reconciled to usy for^ and 
through the Merits of Jefus Chrifi. As however, 
there would feem to be fome degree of prefump- 
tion in urging the claim of merit in the prefence 
of God, a folution of the difficulty is attempted, 
by contending that Jefus Chrifi is God the Son, 
equal with God the Father, and though his 
human nature was not equal to the tafk, yet his 
Divine Nature was capable of meriting from God 
the Father. Does this folution anfwer the pur- 
pofe ? or does it not introduce a dilemma not 
lefs than that which it was intended to obvi- 



God is Lcve, 161 

ate r Does it not reprefent J^/uj Chrift as an 
independent beings P'^JpJf^^ ^f Something *which 
God the Father neither hady nor had any right to 
^thout giving to J ejus Chriji an equivalent for it ? 
This doubtlefs reprefents mankind as under the 
higheft obligations to Jefus Chrift for his gra- 
cious interference on their behalf, but does it 
not reprefent God the Father in the charafter 
of an auftere inexorable Creditor, from whom 
no forgivenefs could be obtained without its be- 
ing purchafed by the blood of his own Son ? — 
But I forbear to enlarge upon tht: fubjeft. — 
Many of God's dear children profefs to hold 
fomewhat like thefe views of this fubjedl, which 
they hear almoft daily preached, and which is 
incorporated with many of their prayers. How 
many pious fouls have been embarrafled in dif- 
ficulties — have had their comforts m.arred — 
and a dark gloom thrown over their profpefiS by 
the baleful influence of this perplexing error ! 
while notwithilanding found piety, and in ma- 
ny of them great learning; having been educat- 
ed in thefe habits of thinking, which have been 
X 



162 God is Love, 

aflbciated with their views of chriftianity ; they 
have groaned under the burdefi, while they 
have deemed the fubjedl too facred for invefti- 
gation. 

It is probable that this doftrine, like many 
other errors, was it firft more fimple •, and ve- 
ry likely arofe from pious zeal to exalt the cha- 
rafter and work of our Lord Jefus Chrift, in 
a way different from what is written of him in 
the Scriptures of Truth ; whereby the very cha- 
rafler of our Lord, and the nature of his work, 
came to be miftaken and in feme degree loft 
fight of; for zeal, not directed by the Divine Tef- 
ftimony, darkens the minds of the zealous, and il 
leads into perplexity, which through the reme- 
dies attempted by human wifdom, becomes more 
perplexed ; till men, mirtaking the real charac- 
ter of the only true God, the God and Father 
of our Lord Jefus Chrift, glorified him not as 
Godj neither were thankful ; but became vain in 
their imaginations and their foolifh heart was dark- 
ened. Profejfing themfelves to be wife^ they be- 
came fools ; and changed the glory of the Incorrup- 
tible God into an image made like to corruptible 



God is Love, 16;* 

man ; comparing the All-perfeEl God to cor- 
ruptible and corrupted kings and rulers, in the 
treatment of their rebellious fubjecls ; to fome 
of whom pardon has been offered on certain 
conditions, to be performed by them, or by 
fome furety for them ; but whofc policy too 
often has been to devote to permanent impri- 
fonment, perpetual baniftiment, or to utter de- 
ftruftion, thofe whom they were not willing to 
pardon, or thofe whom they have not been able 
to bring to their terms. A principal fource of 
miftake has confided in fuppofing that the Al- 
mighty^ and All'perfcEl God^ mu(l a(fl as thefe 
men do, who are often weak and wicked ; in- 
fiead of confidering that God himfelf is the 
flandard to which thefe rulers ought to be con- 
formed \ and in confequence of men, however 
ferious they may be, fetting up this falfe and 
foolifh idol, and bowing down to it, they are 
involved in that perplexity and gloominefs 
which mars their own comfort, fo that it may 
in fome meafure be fald of them as the Apoftle 



164 God is Love. 

faid of evil-workers, to whom the fupporters of 
evil doftrines bear confiderable relation, — they 
receive in them/elves that recompenfe of their error \ 
luhich is meet. — ^Having in part forfaken the 
Light, they ftumble in no fmall degree of dark- 
nefs ; not reflefling that all the proper attri- 
butes of God are Immutable and Eternal. His 
Power, His Wifdom, His Juftice, His Goodnefs, 
&c. are abfolutely incapable of change. There- 
fore if ever hatred and enmity to mankind had ,\ 
been proper attributes of God, (which is abfo- * 
lutely impoffible,) they muft have been eternal- 
ly fo, and incapable of change ; as we certain- 
ly know that hatred of and enmity to wicked- || 
nefs, rank among the proper attributes of God, 
and we alfo know that it is and muft be un- 
changeably fo ; and that he cannot look upon 
fin but with unalterable deteftation. It was 
for this very purpofe the Son of God was ma- 
nifefted that he might fave us from our fins by 
purging them away from us, thus deftroying the 
works of the devil. The defign of the coming 



God is Love, 165 

of Jefus Chrift was not to make any change in 
God ; (which muft neceflarily have been an 
impoffible attempt,) but to make a change in 
man by reconciling him to God ; and this was 
the defign of God in fending his beloved Son to 
be the Saviour of the world ; hence the Apof- 
tle dates the miniftry of reconciliation in thefe 
words — God ijuas in Chriji reconciling the world 
unto himfelfy not imputing unto them their iyefpajf- 
es. We accordingly, find when the Apoftles 
preached to the Gentiles, they called them to 
repent^ and turn to Godj and do works meet for re^ 
pentance ; but in all their preaching, they ne- 
ver mentioned a word about reconciling God to 
men ; fuch an idea they never held out, becaufc 
it was not among the things which rhe Divine 
Spirit taught them ; but as ambafTadors for 
God, they prayed men to be reconciled to God; 
and in order to lead them to this reconciliation, 
they preached that God was in Chriji^ mani- 
fefting the unfearchable riches of his Eternal 
and unchangeable goodnefs and love for the very 



IGG God is Love. 

purpofe of reconciling man kind to himfelf ; that 
as he had formerly declared by the prophet, 
ivhen the luicked Jhouldforfake his ivickednefs and 
the unrighteous man his thoughts^ and turn to the 
Lordy he would be merciful^ for our God will ahun^ 
dantly pardon. 



n 



( 167 ) 



LETTER X. 



Mamfejlatiofis of the Mejfiah. 



i^UR Lord aflumes to himfelf the title of 
^-^ the beginning of the creation of God. He 
fays of himfelf, Before Abraham ivaSy I am. His 
Apoftles teftify that he is before all things^ and 
by him all things conftjl. Thefe things feem to 
invite our attention to the procefs which he has 
been carrying on from ancient times, and will 
ftill carry on, under various difpenfations, un- 
til all things fhall be voluntarily fubjecled to 
him, who is the head of every man. Indeed we 
fhould feem to have very imperfefl: views of the 
charafler and the work of our Lord Jefus Chriil", 
without contemplating the chara^lcrs and works 



168 Mamfejlations of the Mejfiah. 

by which he was manifefted before the period 
of his coming in the fleft, as well as after- 
wards. 

When God by the prophet teftified of the 
goings forth of the Mejftahy he not only declar- 
ed that hefhould come forth to he ruler in Ifrael ; 
but alfo that his goings forth had been from of old 

from the days of hidden duration. Micah. v. 2. 
In confidering what the Scriptures teftify con- 
cerning the zncitnt goings forth y of our Lord, 
v/e meet with the declarations of the Holy Spi- 
rit by the Apoftles, that God created all things by 
Jefus Chrifl. Ephef. iii. 9, and that all things 
ivere created by him and for him ; and he is before 
all things y and by him all things conjljl. Col. i. 16, 
17. As all things ivere created by him^ they 
ilood related to him as his creatures, and he to 
them as their Creator, As they were created 

for him, it would feem to indicate that they 
were defigned for his inheritance — his pojpjfton, 
— his flock ; and he fuflaincd towards them the 
relations of /^Wr Xd/r//, — their Shepherd; whcfe 



The Mefflah. 169 

$%un the Sheep were. All things were created 
in Hinty {{o the word fignifies.) They were 
in Himy in the knowledge of The Only True God 
and his ChriJ}» Therefore their recovery is 
efFefted by their being renewed in this knowledge. 
While they abode in him^ who is the Truth^ 
they bore his image ; holy, pure, fpiritual, 
enjoying thefulnefs ofGod^ which was treafured 
up in him. Tht'ix fpiritual life was in him^ and 
could not be utterly loft ; (though they might 
deprive themfelves of the enjoyment of it, be- 
coming dead in trefpafles and fins.) He was 
their heady and went forth as their king before 
themy the Lord on the head of themy as they will 
find again, to their unfpeakable joy, when they 
fhall be reftored. It is true this exprefTion, 
Micah ii. 13. relates to gathering the remnant 
of Ifrael, as the fheep of Bofrahy in deep afflic- 
tion, (as the name Bofrah fignifies) before they 
became again as the flock in the midjl of their 
foldy after they had rifen up as an enemy y^<fi- 
ing a polluted refl. It" may be obferved that ac- 
cording to the interpretation of this figure by 
Y 



i 70 Manifeftations of 

the Divine Spirit, I Pet. \u 25. it refers to the 
fpiritual returning of thofe who are weary and 
heavy laden y to the Shepherd and Bijhop of their 
fouls. As the idea of men's returning^ is that of 
their going hack where they were before^ it plainly 
indicates the original fpiritual flat e m. which 
they were before they went aftray. They 
abode in him j he was their King, their Lord, 
their head ; and though they turned away from 
him, and deprived themfelves of the fenfible 
enjoyment of his love ; they could not diflblve 
the relations in which he flood to them. The 
Apoftle does not only fay that Chrift will he 
the head of every man, but the head of every 
man is Chrifl ; denoting the uninterrupted con- 
tinuance of that relation on his part, which 
could not be deftroyed ; but they behoved to 
be renewed in their relation to him ; for 
which purpofe he was manifefted in the fulnefs 
of time, to feek and fave thofe who were 
loft. 

One of the earlieft goings forth of our Lord 
in the character of Mediatory the depofttory of 



The Meffiah. i7i 

Divine Goodnefs for uSy is mentioned by the 
Apoftle, 2 Tim. i. 9. and Tit. i. 2. where he 
declares that grace was given to us in Ckriji Je- 
fuSy and eternal life promifedy by Gody who can- 
not Hey before the world began, or rather before 
the times of the ages. And in Ephef. i. 4. o, G. 
we read of feme who were chofen in Chrijl be- 
fore the foundation of the worldy that they fhould 
be holy and blamelefs before him in Lovey that God 
had predefiinated them to the adoption of children^ 
by Jefus Chrift to himfelf according to the good 
pleafure of his willy to be inflruments for car- 
rying into eiFe£live operation, the gracious de- 
figns of our Heavenly Father, to the praife of 
the glory of his gracey wherein he made them ac" 
cepied in the beloved, 

Thefe paiTages unite with other Scriptures in 
fhewing that our bleffed Lord was the head of 
all principality and power y before the foundation 
of the world ; all things being fubjeEl to him. He 
emptied himfelf of this glorious dignity, in 
obedience to the will of his God and Father ; 
and according to his prayer to the Father, is 



172 Manifejfations of 

re^wjiated in his former glory ^ exalted far above 
all principality and power ; though now we fee not 
yet all things reflored to their fubjeSf ion under him, 
the work is begun, and will progrefs until it 
(hall be perfefted, according to the will of God. 
In his relations to mankind, (who are the fub- 
jefts of our more immediate confideration) he 
was then as he now is, the head of every man. 
It would appear, that before the world was, he 
was the depofitory of the Divine Goodnefs for 
mankind. — Grace was given to us in Chrijl Je^- 
fus. He was the Divinely appointed channel 
through whom the emanations of Divine Good- 
nefs fhould be communicated to them. He. 
was the Divinely appointed Head, in and under 
whom all the wanderers, or loft fheep, fhould 
be re-united to God, in the difpenfation of the 
fulnefs of the times ; therefore eternal life 
could be promifed, only in Chrijl Jefus. The 
record teftifies that, God hath given to us eternal 
lifcy and this life is in his Son. What the Apof- 
tie calls the unfearchable riches of Chrijl is all the 
fulnefs of the Godheady which itpleafed the Father 



The Mejftah. 173 

Jhould dwell bodily or colledlively in hiwy for the 
exprefs purpofe of reconciling all things to him-- 

felf by Je/us Chrijl, having made peace through 
the blood of his crofsy compare Rom. v. 1. 10. 
and Ephef. ii. U.— 17. 

As the plan of Infinite Wifdom and Love 
was laid before the foundation of the world, the 
Apoftle reprefents all the works of God as known 
unto him from the age, Thefe things muft have 
been included in the glory which Our Lord de- 
clares he had with the Father before the world 
was-. . The pofleflion of all power and autho- 
rity over all the works of God, muft have been 
vefted in him before the foundation of the 
world 'j becaufe the riches of the Divine Ful- 
nefs conftituted th2Ltform of God in which he 
was, before he emptied himfelf, and took upon 
him the form of a fervanty and with which he 
is again glorified according to his prayer, John 
xvii. 5. 

Our Lord Jefus Chrift is reprefented to us 
by the Divine Spirit in the New Teftament, as 
Hcy in and by whom God created all thi?igs ; Ephef. 



174' Manifejiations of 

Hi. 9. Coloff. 1. 16. Heb. i. 10. 11. 12. Hence 
the New Teftament leads us to conclude that 
when the Lord God created till things^ formed 
marij and fpahe to /nm, he e fFe fled the fe things 
by Jefus Chrift, who is the image of the Inviftble 
Godj by whom all things confifl ; for the Apoftlc 
teftifies concerning the Father, that no man 
hath feen nor can fee him. 1 Tim. vi. 16. In 
this view we may eafily perceive the propriety 
of applying to our Lord, what Solomon hath 
faid of wifdontj in the eighth chapter of his Pro- 
verbs. This indeed has been faid to be perfon- 
ifying the Attribute of Wifdom, and has been 
adduced as an inftance of the boldnefs of the 
eaftern figurative ftyle. The whole chapter, 
however, may lead the Chri/lian to a much 
more fimple and fublime application of it; 
even to him, who becaufe of the Divine Wif- 
dom treafured up in, and manifefted by him, is 
emphatically faid to be of Godj made unto us 
WifuomI Indeed, whoever will read from the 
twenty-fecond verfe to the end of the chapter, 
may very readily obferve that the idea of fim- 



TheMeJJiah. 175 

ply perfonifying an attribute, which in this 
cafe appears to be overftraining even oriental- 
figure, ought to give place to the application 
to Himy who is the image of the Inviftble God ; 
who manifefteth to us the Divine perfeflions, 
harmonious in all their operations ; nvhofe 
delights were ivith the fons of men ^ and in whom 
grace was given to us before the world began. 

The doctrine of our Lord Jefus Chrift hav- 
ing been the agent or fervant by whom God 
created all things, has been warmly oppofed, 
though on very different grounds, by thofe who 
hold the Trinity of perfons in the Godhead, 
and by thofe who hold the Socinian fcheme. 
Among other pafTages of Scripture, the follow- 
ing from the prophet Ifaiah have been urged by 
both, though by neither with the view of fetting 
one part of the Scriptures againft another, Ifa. 
xliv. 24. / am the Lord that maketh all things ; 
that Jlretcheth otit the heavens alone ; that fpread^ 
eth abroad the earth by msfelf and chap. xlv. 12. 
/ have made the earthy and created man upon it ; 
/, even my hands have fir etched out the heavensy 



174? Ma7iifeJlations of 

and all their heft have I commanded. Thefe and 
other paflages of the like import, are produced 
by the believers of the trinitarian hypothefis5to 
repel the idea of our Lord Jefus Ghrift being 
any way inferior to the God of our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, in the work of creation •, they beheve 
that he was engaged in the work of creation , 
but contend that it was as the fecond perfon of 
the Trinity *, God, co-equal and co-eternal 
with God the Father. — Enough has already 
been dated to fhew that this hypothefis is to- 
tally deftitute of evidence from the Scriptures ; 
and it will not be contended that the evidence 
of its truth arifes from the nature of the thing, 
for the doftrine is confefledly incomprehen- 
fible. 

The Socinian reafoning arifes from a very 
different ground, and has a very different object: 
in view. It is contended that our Lord had 
no exiflence till the days of Herod the king of 
Judea ; and therefore that the true God per- 
formed his creating work alone, without any 
agent or inftrument ; appealing to thefe dccla- 



TheMeJftab. 177. 

rations of the Lord by the Prophet for th^ truth 
of that opinion. The Prophet has indeed given 
thefe declarations with equal truth and fubli- 
mity ; did the Apoftle impeach the Prophet's 
veracity, when he teftified that God created all 
things by Jefus Cbri/ly by whom the power of 
God was exerted ? Moil affuredly he did not. 
How often do we read that the Lord brought 
up Ifrael out of the land of Egypt, and led him 
through the wildernefs? Mofes faith, Deut. 
xxxii. 12. The Lord alone did lead him. The 
Pfalmift fays, Pfal. Ixxvii. 20. Thou leddejl 
thy people like a Jlochy by the hand of Mofes and 
Aaron. Does any Chriftian confider the laft 
claufe of this verfe to be inconfiftent with the 
former part of it, or w^ith the teftimony of Mo- 
fes, that the Lord alone did lead him P Surely no. 
Why ? For this obvious reafon, that all the 
power and authority which Mofes could pof- 
fibly poflefs, in conducing the people, was the 
power and authority of God, who faw meet to 
exert this power by Mofes as his fervant or in- 

ftrument. Such alfo was the cafe with our 
Z 



178 Mamfeftations of 

Lord Jefus Chrlft; his own tefttimony is very 
explicit ; the nvords that I /peak imto you^ I /peak 
not ofmyfelf; hut the Father that dwelleth in me^ 
he doeth the works. He alfo teftified, the Son can 
do nothing of himfelf Such was his teftimony 
when he was on earth in the days of his flefh ; 
and from his prayer to the Father, John xvii. 5. 
22. it obvioufly appears that the Glory which 
he had with the Father before the world was, 
like that which he gave to his difciples, was the 
gift of his God and Father. Hence it appears 
that as he was in the form of Gody or poflefled 
this glorious dignity and power by the will and 
the gift of God before he came in the flelh, all 
the works of God were carried on by him. 
This appears ftill more evident from the ex- 
prefTion, Gen. i. 26, Let us make man ; here 
the term us appears to correfpond with the * 
feme term, John xvii. 21. where the expreffion 
us clearly refers to the Father and the Son ; 
the whole fcope, and indeed the very na- 
ture of the prayer, though exprefling union^ 
neceflarily precludes the idea of equalityy as 



The MeJJlah. 179 

certainly as that the expreffion, that they alfo 
may be one in us^ gives no indication of the Dif- 
ciples of Jefus being equal to the God and Father 
of our Lord Jefus Chrift. 

As it was by him that the power ^ nvifdom and 
goodnefs of God were exhibited in the benevolent 
and beautiful form and furniture of the heavens 
and the earth, fo it was by him^ in a fpecial man- 
ner, in the creation and the treatment of Many 
that the Divine Goodnefs was particularly 
manifefted. After man had fallen by tranf-. 
greflion, the early intimations of recovery 
through the Chofen Seedy and the manner of that 
recovery, indicated in the appointment of fa- 
crifice, emblematically reprefenting the put- 
ting away of fin, and the mortification of 
flefhly lufts, the fources of fin, were among 
the ancient goings forth of the Mefftah^ charafter- 
iftic of his ruling in the True Ifrael ; the wrefl- 
lers againfl fpiritual ivickednefs. From the days 
of Adam till the time of Noah, he continued 
tp manifeft the Divine Goodnefs and Forbear- 
fince j and in the inftance of Enoch, ihewed 



iSd- Mamfeftations of 

^tiat was the confequence of walking with Gvd. 
When all flefli had corrupted his way upon 
the earth, he toot them away by the waters of 
a flood, referving Noah and his family, faving 
them- by water, that they might replenifli the 
e^th- witK a new feed; fo that the water 
which wa^ the rheans of life unto the righteous, 
was the means of death to the ungodly ; how 
ftiriking an emblem of future things, compare 
^Got.ii. 14^, 15^16. While he flieWed the 
long^fujfFering patience of our heavenly Father, 
waiting in his gracioufnefs for a hundred and 
twenty years, he likewife made hu power knowtiy 
z^ an avenger to execute judgment on thofe who 
continued obftinate in wickednefs. 

Having called Abraham, he opened to him 
anew the promife of univerfal blefling in the 
Chofen Seedy hj which all the families of the 
earth were to be blelTed, in turning away every 
one of them from his iniquities ; th^ progrefs 
of the promife, like the path of him who 
is the Juft One^ increafed in luftre like the" 
morning light •, while he exhibited the inflic- 



The Mejftah. 18! » 

tion of awful puniflimcnt on the wicked inha- 
bitants of Sodom and the neighbouring cities, 
as an outward example of the fearful judg- 
ments which fhould afterwards overtake thofe 
who would live ungodly. Shewing not only 
that the throne of iniquity could have no fel- 
lowfhip with him ; but that obftinate wick- 
ednefs, unrepented of, would necefTarily 
bring the often warned, though fiiil obdurate 
ofFender, under the operation of that death 
which is the Wages of fin. In thefe ancient 
goings forth or manifeftations of the Meffiah, 
he exhibited the fame invariable immacu- 
late holinefs and purity of character, and 
prefented to view the one only pofliblc way 
in which finners could be reftored to God \ 
that is by the complete deftruftion of fin 
and finful lufls, and entire refignation of heart 
to the will of God. In all ages and difpenfa- 
tions, the only pojftble ivay to the Father is the Son. 
There is no other way of finding the Son the 
way to the Father, but by the Divine Spirit, 
whereby Chrift comes to be in men and they 



282 Manifejlations of 

in him. The ancient faithful, by the Spirit of 
Chrift which was in them, perceived him, and 
were in him, and thereby walked with God. 
— The way which leadeth to life always was, and 
ever will be equally narrow^ and the gate at all 
times equallyy?r^// ; fo that thej^w only who 
were heartily willing to leave every thing 
which was efteemed their owtiy hzwt found and 
entered^ and the many who fought to enter in, 
without thus rejefting all their own things have 
not been able. The fame things, the lujl of the 
flefh^ the lufl of the eyes^ and the pride of life^ 
whether confidered as fin, or righteoufnefs, 
lawful or unlawful, have always occafioned the 
difability. The trying of oxen, and the view- 
ing of purchafed land ; even domeftic attach- 
ments ; the loving of parents, wife, or children, 
however lawful and right in themfelves ; yet 
when indulged fo far as to engage our hearts 
more than the love of God, will as certainly 
difable us from entering in at the flrait gate 
which leadeth to Ufe^ as revellings, banquetings, 
and abominable idolatries, or any other of the 



The Mejfiah. 183 

works of the flefli. They all arife from the 
fame fource, and exceflive attachment to things 
in themfelves lawful, are the more fubtil and 
dangerous to thofe whofeek to entering in that 
they are more plaufible, and lefs apt to aroufc 
the confcience ; yet are the very thorns which 
choke the ivord and voider us unfruitfuL 

In contemplating the ancient manifeftations 

of the Meffiah, we are naturally led to think of 

his appearance to Abraham, as recorded in the 

eighteenth chapter of Genefis, where we read 

that the Lord (Jehovah, in the Hebrew,) ap-^ 

peared to him in the plains of Mamre^ 1 his was 

not the Invifible God, whom the Apoftle fays, 

no man hathfeen nor can fee ; and therefore our 

•lews are led to him who is the image of the In- 

'^{jhle God. The birth of Ifaac and the blef- 

fingof all the families of the earth were pre- 

diftea and the operation of the equitable 

principts of the Divine conduft difclofed, 

(hewing hat the Judge of all the earth will do 

right. It h.s been faid indeed, that thefe things 

paffed in a n}/}orjy by which is meant that they 



184? Manifejiations of 

were not real occurrences, but fomething like a 
dream. This, however, is mere conjedlure, 
and to thofe who will read the chapter without 
prejudice, it will appear an improbable conjeEiure^ 
and therefore may be left without farther in- 
quiry. In the 24th chapter of Exodus alfo, 
we read that Mofes and Aaron^ Nadab, Abihu^ 
and feventy of the elders of Ifraelj faw the Qod of 
Ifrael ; they faw Gody and did eat and drink. 
For the fame reafon of the Supreme God being 
invifibky we are led to confider this as refer- 
ring to him who is the image of the Inviftble God. 
In the former in (lance, (Gen. xviii.) the pro- 
mifes were given, not to be accompliflied in the 
way that human wifdom and prudence might 
di£tate, but according to the wifdom of hin 
who hath chofen the weak things to confound thfi 
that are mighty^ and connected the fulfilncnt 
of his promifes with keeping the way of thei^ordy 
to do judgment andjufiicey which was no fulfill- 
ed in the feed of Abraham after the^iefh, but 
in thofe who walk in the fteps of Abraham's 
faith. The latter inftance was cameded with 



The Mejtah. ■ if^a 

the giving of the Law 2iS Jhadows of good things 
to cofne^ to be a fchoolmafter until Chriit, when 
the (hadows were to give place, and the heirs, 
no longer under a fchoolmafter or tutor, ftiould 
receive the Spirit and privileges of children, 
that, no lofiger under the vail^ ivhich is dotie away 
in Chrijly they might all with unvailed face^ he^ 
hold the glory of the Lord^ and by its ajjtmilating 
power ^ be chafjged into the fame image. In the 
charafter of the Angel of God^s prefence^ he led 
them into the wildernefs, and gave them the 
Law, comp. Exod. xxxii. 34, and xxxiii, 14, 
with Ifai. Ixiii 9. as a (hadow of his condudl 
in the fpiritual kingdom, comp. Hof. ii. 14^ 
lo. with Phil. iii. 7, 11. 

Having brought the people with Jofhua into 
the poffelBon of the Gentiles, when the iniqui- 
ty of the Amorites was full, his going forth 
was now -In the charafter of the ruler in IfraeL 
When they were obedient, he fhed forth blef- 
fings upon them, which fhould be figures of 
fpiritual things. When they rebelled and for- 

fook him, he gave them into the hands of their 
Aa 



^. 



1S6 Manifejiatioris of 

enemies, who afflidled them ; when humbled 
by their fufferings, and brought to confefs their 
fins, he ralfed them up judges who wrought 
deliverance for them ; even when they had re- 
jedled him, and demanded a king like the na- 
tions ; he did not caft them ofF to abhor them 
oitterly \ but after having given them a king in 
Jjis anger^ and taken him away in his wrath ^ he 
raifed up David, and teftified that of his feed 
according to the flefli, the deliverer fhould come ; 
even as we know it came to pafs, when the 
prediction addreffed to Bethlehem, Micah v. 2. 
was accompliflied ; out oftheejimll he come forth 
Unto me to be ruler in Ifraely whofe goings forth 
have been from of old y from the days of hidden du- 
ration* 



II 



n 



Chrifl the reftorer of Life, 187 



LETTER XL 



Chrijt the rejiorer of Life. 



OUR Lord hath teftified with his accuf- 
tomed folemnity, John v. 24*, 27, Verily^ 
verily^ I fay unto you^ He that heareth my nvordy and 
helieveth on him that fent me^ hath everlafing life^ 
andfhall not come into condemnation ; but is paffed 

from death unto life. Verily^ verily ^ I fay unto yoUy 
The hour is comings and now isy when the dead 

fh all hear the voice of the Son of God : and they 
that hear fij all live. For as the Father hath life 
in himfelffo hath he given to the Son to have life 
in himfelf and hath given him authority to execute 

judgment alfoy hecaufe he is the Son of man. To 



1 88 Chrijl the rcf.Gfer of Life. 

this the beloved difciple hath fet his feal, 1 John 
V. 10, 11, 12. He that believeth on the Son of God 
hath the ivitnefs in himfelf: he that believeth noty 
God hath made him a lyar ; hecaufe he believeth not 
on the record that God gave of his Son. And this is 
the record^ that God hath given to us eternal life ; 
and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath 
life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life* 
To the fame purport the Baptift had given his 
teftimony, John iii. 36. He that believeth on 
the Son hath everlafling Ife ; he that believeth not 
the Son ofGodfhall not fee Ife ; but the wrath of 
Godabidcth on him. Correfponding with thefe 
teftimonies Paul declares that the lajl Adam^ the 
Lord from heaven^ was made a quickening Spirit, 
1 Cor. XV. 45. According to the declaration 
of our Lord himfelf, John x. 10. lam come that 
they might have Ife, and that they might have it 
more abundantly. It appears to be the uniform 
fentiment^ always either exprefled or implied 
in the Scriptures, that man, as he comes into 
this world, is in a ftate of Spiritual Death. 
Dead in Sins ; Alienated from the Life of God; 



ehnft the reftorer of Life. 189 

which was that spiritual Lfe in which each in- 
dividual was originally created, and to which 
he has diedy or loft that life through fin ; for 
the revjard cf ffi is death. In this ftate man- 
kind bear the image of the firft Adam •, who, 
when formed of the earth was made a living 
foul and was onlyfoulifhy having no knowledge 
of the things of the Spirit of God, which can 
only be Spiritually difcerfied. The firft man 
was of the earthy earthy ; and thofe who bear 
his image are like him, earthy. So the Apoftle 
flates it, 1 Cor. chap. 15, and as he fliews, 
chap. ii. 14. The foulfJj tnan (fo the term 
•^^yjjL^t, fignifies"^) receiveih not the things of the 

* The diftindion between Souljjh, and Spiritual., befides, 
the former being the literal meaning of the term ufed by 
the Apoftle, is better than that between Natural and Spirit- 
ual ; for furely the Spiritual man is not lefs Natural than the 
man who is not Spiritual, If it be true, and there appears 
no room for any doubt about it, that man was originally 
created Spiritual ; when he comes to be renewed in Spirit- 
ual hfe, he is reftored to his Natural Jl ate ^ while he who is 
not fo renewed, remains in an unnatural fat« of rebellion 



1 90 Chrift the reftorer of Life, 

spirit of God ; for they are foolifhiufs unto him ; 
Jteither can he hiow them^ hecaufe they are Spirit-* 
ually difcerned. This was the cafe with Adam, 
jivho was made a Soulfh man ; and, not pofleft- 
ing Spiritual life, he could not poffibly lofe it 
.The ideas of Soulifj and Earthly appear to de- 
note that thofe who are in that ftate can ex- 
^tend their views no farther than to earthly 
things and their qualities, which are perceived 
through the medium of the outward fenfes, i| 
and to analogical reafonings from earthly 
things to others of the fame kind. This was 
cxaftly the cafe with Adam, as we know it is 
with his pofterity who bear his image. Hence 
we may perceive tlie impropi'iety of that con- 
jefture, that when Adam tranfgrefled the law 
of his God, he fufFered a Spiritual death, A 

againft his Creator, and only benefa(ftor. Men are indeed 
faid to be h nature. Children of zvrath. It is moft afTuredly 
true; becaufe wrath is the Natural confequence of tranf- 

' greflion ; but that ftate of Wiciedncfs which incurs wrath, 
in which mankind arc, till born again, is not the Natural 

Jlate in which God created tfhena. 



Chrifl the reflorer of Life. 191 

oonje3:ure as groundlefs as It would be to fup- 
pofe, that as often as any one of his unrenew- 
ed pofterity, bearing his image, commits fin, he 
dies Spiritually^ or lofes a life, which, from his 
coming into the world, he never pofTefTed. 
The truth of the matter is much more accurate- 
ly exprefled in the language of the Apoftle. 
He that kveth net his brother Abideth in 
Death, 1 Johniii. 14. The notion of .Adam 
dying Spiritually however, has been aflbciated 
with that of his tranfmitting moral turpitude^ 
to his pofterity, together with the imputation of 
his perfonal guilt to them ; all equally deftitute 
of truth ; and incorporated into a Syftem, not 
of the v/ifdom of God, but of the wifdom of 
man ; a melancholy proof, if any proof were 
wanting, that the Soulifli mind ahideth in death. 
To mankind in this ft ate of Spiritual Deathy 
our Lord Jefus Chrift was fent ; Anointed luith 
the Divine Spirit without meafure ; to Speak the 
words of God ; that the dead fhould hear the 
voice of the Son of God j and that they voho would 
liften fhould live. That having heard and learn- 



1 92^ Chrj^ the rejlorer of Life. 

ed of the Father, who has teftified, this is my 
beloved Son in *whom I am well pleafedj hear ye 
him ; they fliould come unto the Son that they 
might have life ; affured that they {hall not be 
reje6led. My fJjeep^ fays the Lord, hear my 
voice ^ and follow me^ — and I give unto them eter-' 
nal life, Thofe w\io will not come to him that 
they might have Hfe^ abide fail in death : they have 
not the Son of God, and therefore have not life, 
and while in that (late, the wrath of God abideth 
$n them. 

As the work of our Lord is to revive or quick- 
en thofe who are dead in ftns, Ephef. ii. 1, 5. 
So the Apoille tells us, 1 Cor. xv. 45, that, as 
a dire<5l contraft to the firfl Adam, the lafl 
Adam was made a ^^i^r/^^/n*//^ S//r/V, or Spiritual 
quickener. As the Father raifeth up the dead, 
and quickeneth, even fo the Son quickeneth whom he 
will. Such is our Lord's teftimony, John v. 2L 
For as the Father hath life in himfelf fo hath he 
given to the Son to have life in himfelf^ verfe 26. 
This life was given to the Son for the exprefs 
purpofe of being communicated to thofe whom, 



Chry} the rejhrer of Life. - 193 

the Father had given to hirn to quicken, John 
xvil. 2. It is not the obje£l of the prefent en- 
quiry to prove the \ Jniverfality of this quick- 
ening, ihls has been fuificiently done elfe- 
where.^ At prefent it is fuHicient to remark, 
that the very expreffions themfekes, which are 
ufed, neceflarily convey the idea of difcrimina- 
tion \ and ihew, vv'ithout any twilling, that it 
is onlv they, who, hearing the voice of the Sou 
of God, are willing to liften to him, and follow 
him, who will receive from him eternal life, 
Thofe only who, in the prefent life, believe and 
obey the Son of God, have life, while thoic 
who, hearing, do not attend to him, to obey 
the truth, but obey unrighteoufnefs, and wil 
not come to him that they may have life, ahicb 
in Death ; and treafure up unto themfelves 
wrath againfh the day of wrath, and revelation 
of the righteous judgment of God, v/ho will, 
by Jefus Chrift, render unto every man accord- 

* See Letters on the Exiftence and Character of the Deity, 
^ni on the moral State of Man. Vol. II. lett. 15, 16, 17, 

Bb 



A 



i9i Chri/i the rejlorer of Life, 

ing to his deeds. They who in this Hfe be- 
lieve and obey hxra^ Jhall not come into condemna^ 
tiony but are pajfed from Death unto Life, It may 
be obferved that the epithet connefted with 
life, which in Englifh we read, Eternal^ is 
never ufed by the infpired writers to convey 
the idea oi JiriB eternity y or endlefs duration ; 
but is always appHed to duration which is li- 
mited, though the limitation is not defined \ as 
in Englifii we fay a long time, which has refpedl 
to limited duration, though the exprelTion, a 
long time, does not define the limits of this du- 
ration. From the teflimony of Divine Reve- 
lation, the only fource of information on this 
fubjeft, it plainly appears that they who in this 
world, attend to the voice of Chrift, and follow, 
him, have the earned of that Spiritual Life, 
the fulnefs of which they fhall enjoy, when 
mortality Jljall be fwallowed up of life. That 
they will enjoy this Life, while the Lord Jefus 
Chrift is carrying on the procefs of reconciling 
all things unto God j and that in all probabi- 
lity they will always continue to poflefs degrees 



Chriji the rejorer of Life. 195 

of Bleffednefs, and Dignity, which thofc who 
die in their fins, even though they will ultimate- 
ly be quickened, and reconciled to God, will 
never be able to attain. 

The things of the Spirit of God are foolifh- 
nefs to the Soulilh man, neither can he know 
them in his unrenewed ftate. His perceptions 
extend not beyond earthly things with which 
he is converfant. He is no more competent 
to judge of fpiritual things than a man born 
blind is to judge of colours ', accordingly the 
Apoftle, Ephef. iv. 18, reprefents mankind in 
this condition, as having the under/landing dark" 
enedy being alienated from the Life of God^ through 
the ignorance that is in them^ becaufe of the blinds 
nefs of their heart. Our Blefled Lord came to 
awake the dead, and to give them the light of 
Life, wherefore he faith, awake thou that feeped^ 
and arife jrom the deadj and Chriji Jljall give thee 
light. I am come a light unto the world, faid the 
Lord, that whofoever follow eth me Jhould 7iot abide 
in darhnefs, but have the light oj life. He came 
to give deliverance to the captives, to fet the 



196 Chrl/i the reftorer of Life. 

opprefled free. Every one ijuho commitieth Jtn is 
the Jlave of fm ; taken captive by Satan at his 
pleafure. He came to blels mankind, in turn- 
ing away every one of them fron^ his iniquities, 
and declared, if the Son make yoit free ye Jhall he 
free indeed. Mankind, Jews and Gentiles, were 
enemies in their hearts to God and to one ano- 
ther. He came that he might unite thofe who 
were at variance with one another, and to re-- 
concile both imto God in one body by the crofs. The 
carnal mind is not fubjecfl to the Law of God, 
neither can it be, therefore thofe who are car- 
nally minded cannot pleafe God. Jefus came 
to fubdue the rebellious hearts of mankind, and 
bring them to a willing fubje£l:ion to the Divine 
Law ; opening their underftanding to perceive 
the Divine excellence of the Law of God, that 
they might delight in it. They were corrupt- 
ed, and walked in wickednefs ; he came to fanc- 
tify them that they might walk with him in 
newnefs of Life. 

The condition of a perfon in a ftate of Spi- 
ritual death may be compared to that of a man 



Chrifi the rejl over of Life, 197 

born blind. The blind man may poiTefs all the 
other powers of man, his fenfes may have their 
proper exercife ; but he is totally incapable of 
perceiving the obje£ls of fight, or of having 
any adequate ideas of them. The beauties of 
light and colours ; all the variegated elegancies 
of the moft delightful landfcape, are entirely 
beyond the reach of his perceptions, or even of 
his imagina' ion. He may. hear them defcribed ; 
he may even be taught to defcribe them him- 
felf, in words \ but thefe defcriptions, however 
well they may be underftood by thofe w^ho 
have the pov/ers of vifion, can excite no ideas 
in his own mind, that approach nearer to the 
refemblance of the objects defcribed, than thofe 
of fine fm;:lls or pleafant fjunds \ becaufe all 
his ideas are necefikrily aflbciated with the ob- 
jects of thofe faculties which he poffefles, and 
can have no poflible relation to thofe of powers 
which he does not pofiefs, and of which he is 
neceffarily ignorant. The man fpiritually dead 
is equally incapable of underftanding the things 
of the Spirit of God. He may hear of them. 



1-98 Chrift the reftorer of Life. 

they may be in a meafure defcribed to him, 
nay, he muft hear of them, for the dead shall 
hear the voice of the Son of God ; they fhall be 
fo far awakened, that, if they will hear, more 
Ihall be given them. He may abound in the 
tvifdom of words ; and the combinations of thefe 
ivords may be fuch as to defcribe accurate no- ji 
tions. He may be in love with thefe notions, 1 1 
may contend zealoufly, even to blood, againft 
whoever may oppofe them, and under the in- 
fluence of thefe fyftematic views, may, like 
Herod, do many things ; and yet, however 
much inftruftion thefe words may give to thofe 
who have ears to hear ; the ideas in his own 
mind will be altogether earthly •, and as totally 
different from the things of the Spirit of God, 
as a green colour is from the found of a trumpet ; 
nay, indeed infinitely more different; for the 
colour and the found may both be perceived 
by external fenfes, and the man may be ftill 
carnal \ but the things of God knoweth no one but 
the Spirit of God. 



Chriji tkerejiorer of Life. 1$^ 

As man by feeking to do his own willy turn- 
ed away from the wiil of God ; he became «//>- 
nated from the Life of God ; and as his heart 
was no longer united with God, who was the 
fource of his Life ; he became vain in his imagi- 
nation ; his foolijh heart was darkened. He be- 
came dead to the things of God ; incapable of 
difcerning Spiritual things. This death was 
the natural confequence of fin ; and could only 
be removed by the Life of God being again 
manifefted in his heart. This Divine Life^ or 
Life of God was originally the gift of God in Je- 
fus ChriJl^ unto his rational creatures ; and as 
they lofl this Life by rejecting Him^ who is the 
wayy the truth and the life ; it can only be re- 
newed as the gift of God in Jefus Chrif}. It can 
only be received by returning to, or receiving 
him who is the way^ the truth and the life. This is 
the record J fays John, that God hath given to us 
Eternal Life; and this Life is in his Sony hence he 
that hath the Son hath Life ; he that hath not the 
Son of God hath not Life. The dead are made to 
hear the voice of the Son of God. It is the fame 



^00 ChriJ} the rejiorer of Life. 

all-powerful voice which fald let light he^ and 
light wjs. Accordingly the Apoftle recog- 
nifes it as the fame Divine Power, and very 
particularly marks the fphere of its operation, 
2 Cor. iv. 6. Gjdy who ccmmanded the light to 
fhi?ie out of darhiefs, hath fiined IN OUR 
HEAR rS, to give the light of the knowledge of 
the glory of Gody in the face ofjefus Chrifl, 

The different manner of that powerful voice's 
working, as defcribed by Mofes, and teftified 
by Jefus Chrift, correfponds with the different 
fubjefts of its energies; but the effe£l in recall- 
ing the Spiritually Dead to Spiritual Life is as 
much fuperior ' o the former as Heaven is above 
Earth, It will bring the fubje£ls of its pow- 
er to that ftate which is the proper Antitype II 
of what was defcribed by Mofes, as VERY 
GOOD, in the view of God. The operation 
of that voice in the former cafe was upon 
what had neither will nor povv-er to difo^ 
bey ; but in the latter cafe, the bleffed effecl is 
fo infeparably connefted with vohmthry obedi^ 
ence^ that It never can take place without it. 



II 



Chrifl the rejiorer of Life, 201 

Thofe only who hear the word of Chrift, and 
believe on Him who fent Chrift, have Life^ for 
Faith Cometh by hearing, and worketh by Love. 
But thofe who having their eyes fo far opened 
as to fee the Son, and the Father manifefted in 
him, have hated both, and will not come to the 
Son that they might have Life, abide in deathy 
without a cloak for their fins. This is the con- 
demnation^ fays the Lord, that light is come ints 
the worlds and men loved darkness rather 
THAN LIGHT, hecaufe their deeds were evil. Is 
then the efFefi: of this voice of the Son of God 
loft on fuch ? No. Some indeed appear at 
once to fubmit, and to fay Lord what wilt thou 
have me to do P But there are others who are 
treated with line upon line, and precept upon 
precept, here a little and there a little, in order 
that they who erred in Spirit Jhould come to un- 
derjlandingj and they that murmured Jhould learn 
doElrxne, In fuch the Divine Teftimony is 
unto God a Sweet Savour of Chri/t in them that 
are faved ; whilft thofe who continue obftinate- 
1y to love darknefs rather than the light, go and 
Cc 



^®2 Ghrtftfhe rejlorer ef Life: 

fall bachward^ and are broieny arid fnared^ and 
faken. In th^m the fame Divine teftitnony \t 
a3fo ufito God a Sweet Savour of Chrijl in them 
fbatferifhyboczniQ that very peri/bing will ulti- 
mately be found to baa part ai the pmcefs by 
which thefe tnarred veffels are brofken in pieces, 
that they may be mads anew, sueffels of honour^ 
jneet for the Moflers ufe* Grievous, however, 
and dreadful, will be that breaking in pieces, 
mhtXii having treaftn-ed up unto themfelves 
twrath againft the day of wrath, by defpifmg the 
ricljes of the Divine Goodnefsy which the voice of 
the Son of God hath proclaimed to them j they 
fhall inevitably be overtaken by that tribulation 
■andauguifhy which will be rendered unto every 
foul vf man that doeth evil. They loved darknefs 
rathet than the light, becaufe their deeds were 
■«vil. The deeds of thofe who fee the Son and 
'i>elieve on him, v/ere not lefs evil than thofe of 
.jhor others, but the one'clafs, though confciou3 
that their deeds were evil, yet were unwilling to 
confider and acknowledge them to be fo very 
evilyZS 4he voice of the Son of God -declared 



Chryf the rejiorer of Life. 20^ 

them to be ; and added this gre£itejl mjily to all 
their other deeds, that they r^je^ed'HimywhQ 
came to turn away every one of themrfrom 
his iniquities j while the other clafs, deeply 
fenfiole of the abominable evil of their deeds, 
having nothing whereby to juftify themfelves ; 
and finding no poffibiiity of deliverance from 
that deftruflion which is the natural confe- 
quence of their great wickednefs, but in i/je 
mercy and grace of Gody declared by the voice of 
his Son ; each one for himfelf imote.upon his 
breaft, that feat of all wickednefs, and cried, 
God be mere fill to me a pinner I The voice of the 
Son of God invited them to come in all their 
leannefs, poverty, and wretchednefs ; under 
deep repentance, and loathing of themfelves, to 
confefs their fins \ and they found him faithful 
and jujl to forgive them their ft ns ; and to clea?tfe 
therafrom all unrigktjoi fiefs ; and, leading them 
to do Truth y brings them to the light that their 
deeds may be made maniftfy that they are 'wrought 
(not now in themfelves, but) in God. 



20^ Chriji the reftorer of Life. 

For the purpofe of quickening the dead ouf 
Lord received the Divine Spirit not by Meafurej 
which is that energy ijcherehy he is able even to 
Subdue all things unto himfelf ; hence according 
to his own teftimony ; // is the Spirit which 
quicken eth ; the flesh profit eth nothing ; The words 
that Ifpeak unto youy they are Spirit and Life, John 
vi^ 63. Thefe words not only declare, that the 
carnal ordinances of the old difpenfation were 
not in themfelves profitable; and were no other- 
wife ufeful, than as they direfted^the attention 
of men from themfelves, to the works of the 
quickening Spirit ; but they were likewife cal- 
culated to fhew the fenfe in which our Lord 
fpake and meant to be underftood, in his pre- 
ceding difcourfe, when he perceived how grofs- 
ly the carnal reafonings of the Jews applied his 
words, faying, how can this man give us flejlo to 
eat? (Such a queftion as their anceftors had 
afked,PfaL Ixxviii. 20. Num. xi. 4. and which 
the Lord anfwered, in fuch a way as to fhew, 
that the gratification of their carnal lufts led 
to Death, as the reward of carnal mindednefs.) 



Chrijl the reprer cf Life. ^0^ 

When alfo he knew m himfelf, that his difci- 
pies, whoftill were flefhly minded, murmured 
at what they deemed a hard faying ; He ex^ 
pounded unto them his difcourfe, by inftru£l:ing 
them, that the words which he fpake to them 
couid only be underftood, in their fail and pro* 
per import, by the Holy Spirit enlightening 
their underftanding to perceive Spiritual things. 
His words were the teftimony of the living 
and life working Spirit; and whoever truly re- 
ceived his teftimony 2cs he delivered it, re* 
ceived therein the Spirit which teflified and 
the Life which the witnefiing Spirit wrought. 
Hence he (hewed them the reafon why he had 
faid to them that no man could comxe unto him, 
unlefs it were given unto him of the Father, 
who by his Holy Spirit draws men unto the 
fon, that they may find him The JVa\j the 
Truth and the Life. ■ 

The Divine Spirit is Ayled the Spif'it cf Life^ 
and is truly fo ; being that energy which quick- 
eneth the Dead, and caufeth them to live. 
Our Lord, after being put to death in the fleih 



206 Chriji the rejtorer of Life. 

was quickened hy the Spirit >• fo all who follow 
the Lord, from being dead in fins, zx^ quick-* 
ened and raiftd to refuived Life ; by the fame 
quichening Spirit. Such was the interpretation 
which the Lord himfelf gave of Ezekiel's vifiou 
of the dry bones, Chap xxxvii. The Pro- 
phetic voice was connected with the Spirit 
breathing upon them ; and in verfe 1 4, the 
Lord fays IJJjall put my Spirit in you y andyeJJjall 
live. Doubtlefs it was not without a fpecial 
defign that in the 9th verfe, the Prophet was 
not directed to ufe the expreflion which denot- 
ed the breath which was breathed into Adam \ 
but the terra ( Ruh ) which figniiies Spirit^ be- 
caufe the objecl of the vifion was to. exhibit the. 
quickening into a rene-zucd Lifey by the JVord and 
Spirit of the Lordy thofe who had died in defiling 
themf elves with Idols and detefiable thingSy where- 
with they had finned. The. Prophet declares to 
the People, that v/hen the Lord, by his Spirit^ 
caufes them to Livcy he will favey or recover, 
them out of their dwelling places y wherein they had 
finned^ and. will cleanfe them; fo fl jail they he his 



Chrijl the reftorer of Life. 207 

people^ and he will be their God. And'his fervarit 
-Ikividy the ijeioved, Jhall be King over them ; 
rind they '^11 -jhall have one Shepherd; and they 
Jhall %(xilh in his 'judgments^ and obferve his Jla^ 
tutes to do them. At the fame time that the Lord 
by his Spirit, caufes them to live, and unites 
them to himfelf,. under the one King, the be- 
loved, he will likewife unite them to one ano- 
ther, by th^ fame Spirit of Love \ rooting out, 
as not of his planting, all the feeds of enmity 
and difcord, from among them. The Jiich of 
Jofeph^ in the hand of Ephrairn (liould be united 
with the flick of fudahy mid become one flick in the 
hand of the Lord. They IhoukI no more abide 
in their own dwelling places^ wherein they had 
finned, but fhould hefaved or recovered out of 
themj and made to depart out of the re/l which 
they had fought, becaufe it was polluted and 
would deflroy them with a fore deflruEiion ; but 
they (hould be placed as one holy nation j upon 
the mountains of Ifrael^ (the wreftler.) The 
SanBuary of the Lord^ with his Covena?it of 
Peace fnould abide with them. This was to 



^08 Chrifl the refiorer of Life. 

be a fign whereby the nations fhould know that 
it was the Lord who fanftified Ifrael, and corref- 
ponds with our Lord's character of his follow- 
ers, as a Cityfet upon a hill. Their good works 
were fo to attraft the attention of others, that 
they alfo might be led to glorify our Father who is 
in Heaven, So uniform, in every difpenfation, 
are the teftimony and operation of the fame 
Divine Spirit ; and fo invariably directed to 
the fame end ; that every individual who hears 
and believes the voice of the Son of God, and 
is led by the Holy Spirit, becomes a witnefs to 
the precious Truth, and its blefled effefts, and 
thereby invites others to attend to the faving 
Truth, that they alfo may be partakers of the 
Promife of God by Chrifh in the Gofpel j and 
may, in their turn, become witnefTes and invi- 
ters ; for in the progrefs of the work of Chrift, 
the Spirit and the Bride fay^ come^ and let him 
that hear eth fay ^ come ; and let him that is athirji 
come ; and luhofoever willy let him take of the 
Water of Life freely. 



n 



Life through the Name of J ejus Chrift. 209 



LETTER Xlf. 



Life through the Name of Jefus Chrijl. 



rHIS is the Eternal Life ^that they might know 
thee^ the Only True Gody and Jefus Chrifl 
whom thou haft feiit. Such is the teftimony of 
our Lord, John xvii. 3. The kno.wlerlge of the 
Father and the Son^ in which this Life confifts, 
is only communicated by our Lord Jefus 
Chrift, according to his own teftimony, J^.Iatth. 
xi. 27, and Luke x. 22. No one hioweih the 
Son but the Father ,• neither knoweth any one the 
Father fave the Sony and he to ivhomfoever the Son 
will reveal him. This Spiritual knowledge 
Dd 



I 



2 1 Life through the Name of Jefus Chriji. 



of God and Chrift, can only be received by the 
enlightening opera:ion of the Holy Spirit, 
opening the hearts and underftandings of men 
to the things of God ; to know him as the Only 
True Gody of whom they had fo long been ig- 
norant. While other lords had held dominion over 
them^ he had been to them the Unknoivn Gody 
though he is not far from every one of them ; fee^ 
ing he giveth to all life^ and breathy and all things ; 
and /« him they livey and move^ and have their be^ 
ingy Acis xvii. 23, 28. Still, however, they know 
him not until the Son reveal him. When by 
this revelation their hearts are opened, they are 
led to underftand that, when they knew not Gody 
they had been engaged in thefervice of thofe which 
by nature are no Gods y Gal. iv. 8. The heathen 
had followed their dumb Idols even as they were 
led ; the Jews had refted in their dead worhy 
without perceiving that the Law- is Spiritual ; 
and the Nominal Chriftian h4d laboured 
through his lifelefs round of duties^ a ftranger to 
the things of the Spirit of God* But when God 
fJnnes into their heartSy manifefting the Light of 



\ 



Life through the Name of Jefus Chrift. 211 

the knowledge of his Glory in Chrijl ; they turn 
from thefe things to ferve the Living and True 
God. 

The Holy Spirit y given unto them^ as a well of 
living waters J fpringing up to Everlafling Life^ 
[beds abroad the Love of God in their hearts. They 
fpeak a new language. We have known andhe-^ 
lieved the Love that God hath to us. They are con- 
Itrained by this Love, not now to think of of- 
fering thoufands of rams, or ten thoufands of 
rivers of oil \ but to prtfetit themselves, a liv- 
ing Sacrifice y holyy acceptable to Gody a reajonable 
fcrvlce ; in doing juflly^i loving Mercy^ and walk^ 
ing Humbly with their Gody Micah vi. 6, 8. 
They had been without Chnfly without God* 
They knew not the Father nor the Son, That 
ignorance had blinded their heartSy and darkened 
their underflandings ; but the Spirit of Life from 
Gody has entered into them, and opened in their 
hearts the knowledge of the Only True Gody and 
Jefus, C]:rifly the Anointed Reilorer, whom he 
hathfent. From, being aliens to the Common- 
wealth of Ifrael, they have hccomc fellow citi* 



1 12 Life through the Name ofjefus Chrtjl. 

zens with the Saints^ and of the houfehold of God* 
They dwell in Love^ they dwell m Gody and God in 
them. 

The preaching of our Lord and his Apoftles, 
had the fame obje£b in view which the Spirit of 
Chrift in the Prophets had teftified ; and to 
which all the manifeftations of God were di- 
re£ted. Repent ye and believe the Go/pel; was 
the fum of our Lord's preaching, Mark i. 15. 
Repent therefore^ and be converted^ that your fins 
may be blotted outy faid Peter by the Holy Spirit, 
A6ls iii. 19, as he had faid by the fame Spirit, 
chap. ii. 38. Repefit and be baptifedy every one 
ofyou^ in the name of Jefus Chriflfor the remijft^ 
on of Sins ; and yefhall receive the Gift of the Holy 
Spirit ; and Paul by the fame Spirit, Afts xxvi. 
20, teflified both to Jews and Greeks^ that they 
fhould repent and turn to Gody and do works meet 
for repentance. Hence Repentance toward Gody 
and Faith toward oiir Lord Jefus Chrifly were 
what the Apoftles teftified. Ads xx. 21. As 
it is the knowledge of the Goodnefs of God which 
kadeth men to repentance y Kom. ii, 4, fo the 



Life through the Name of Jefus Chri/1, 2 1 o 

Lord and his MefTengers opened fuch views of 
the Divine Goodnefs to mankind, as were cal- 
culated by Infinite Wifdom and Gracioufnefs, 
to work Repent arte e unto Salvation y not to be re^ 
pented of Our Lord Jefus teftined, John iii. 
16, 17. God fo loved the ivcrldy that he gave his 
only begotten Son ; that ivhofoever believeth in him 
fhould ?iot perifhy but have everlajling Hfe^for God 
fent fjot his Son into the worlds to cofidemn the 
zuorldy but that the nvorld through him ynight be 
faved. The Prophets had te (lined by the Spi- 
rit of Chrift, that ivhofoever fjjould call upon the 
name of the Lord Jhould be faved ; and Peter tef- 
tified to the Jews, by the fame Divine Spirit, 
faying, Let all the houfe of Ifrael hiow ajfuredly^ 
that God hath made that fame Jefus y luhomye have 
Crucified^ both Lord and Ckrfy Ads ii. 36. 
Neither is there Salvation in any other ; for there 
is none other name under heaven^ given among 
men whereby we mujl be faved y A£ls iv. 12. To 
him give all the Prophets ivitnefs ; that through 
his namey ivhofoever believeth in him fhall receive 
remiffion of fins y htk.% x. 43. God was in CkriJ} 



'J 1 4? Life through the Name of jefus Chrifl. 

fays Paul, reconciling the nvorld unto himfelf and 
hath committed ufito us the luord of reconciliation^ 
2 Cor. V. 1 9. God commendeih his Love towards 
x/Sf in that while we were yet ftnnerSy Chrifl died 

for usy Rom. v. 8. Herein is Love^ fays John, 
not that we loved God ; but that he loved uSy and 
fe?it his Son the propitiation ^ or rather the bearer 
of mercy yir our flnsy 1 John iv. 10. This is 
the Recordj that God hath given to us Eternal 
Lifcy and this Life is in his Sc//, chap. v. 11. 
Thefe are a few out of the very many inftances 
of the kind, of which, indeed, when rightly 
underftood, the Scriptures will be found to be 
full. In the name of the Lord, proclaimed to 
Mofes, as recorded in Exodus xxxiv. the very 
lirft view of the Divine Charafter w^hich meets 
our eye is mercy. The Lord Gody Merciful 
arid Gracious^ Long Sufferings and abundant in 
Goodnefs and Truth ^ keeping Mercy for thoufandsy 

forgiving iniquity ^ tranfgreffton and ftn^ and that 
will by no means clear the ^ guilt y^ &c. This 
manifeftation of the Divine charatler was con- 
nected with a pofitive prohibition of making 



Life through the Name of Jefus Chrijl. 215 

any Covenant with the Idolaters and following 
their ways. This fentiment is expreffed, 
Pfalm Ixxxv. 8. God the Lordy nvill fpeah peace 
to his people^ ami to his Saints ; bat let them not 
turn again to folly. But it is not needful to 
multiply quotations ; no Chriftian can be un- 
acquainted with thefe Truths ; and it is fimply 
impoffible that any fentiments oppofite to thefe 
Ihould be found in any revelation from God, 
when rightly underftood ; becaufe thefe views 
delineate the Divine Charadler and his Gra- 
cious purpofes, and nothing that is inconfiftent 
with thefe can poflibly be true of him who 
changeth not. 

The Doftrine of Divine Truth, as exhibited 
in the Scriptures, Hke the perfeftions of its 
Blefled Author, is harmonious in all its parts ; 
unincumbered with thofe difficulties, which 
prefs, with infurmountable force upon the 
theological fchemes devifed by human wifdom. 
It needs no defence againft the weaknefs of the 
Arminian Scheme^ which reprefents a great 
proportion of mankind as irrecoverablv loll:, 



216 Life through the Name of J ejus Chrifi. 

through the perverfenefs of their own wills ; 
notwlthftandlng the Gracious defigns of God, 
and the Wifdom and Energy with which he 
employs thofe means which will make his 
Grace abound over fin. Nor has it to encoun- 
ter the horrors connected with the gloomy fyf- 
tem of John Calvin •, which reprefents, or 
rather mifreprefents, that a great proportion of 
mankind, by an irreverfible decree, without re- 
gard to their own condu6V, are predeftinated to 
Eternal Mifery, and this Mifery augmented by 
their having rejefled the Gofpel, through abfo- 
lute neceffity, which Goipel, it is fald, was 
never intended for any benefit to them.* This 
is reprefented as being to the praife of God's 
glorious Juficey (which in this view muft be 
confidered as diametrically oppofite to his Glo- 
rious Goodnefs ; for the perfections of God, who 
is Good and doeth Goody cznnot poffibly harmon- 
ife in any work but in doing Good. J But the 
Lord hath tedified, Mat. xv. 13. Every plant 

* Modern Calvinifm, however much foftened in v/ord?, 
mil refults In the fame principle. 



Life through the Name of J ejus Chrift. 2 If 

'which my heavenly Father hath not planted f}j all 
he rooted up. 

Thofe to whom our Lord hath revealed the 
Father^ and whom he has renewed to Spiritual 
Life by the Spirit which quickeneth ; are brought 
to know that the Father is the Only True God, 
by this revelation which the Son hath given, 
John xvii. 3. Their underftandings are open- 
ed to know that HE is the original inexhaufti- 
ble fountain, from whom every good gift^ and 
every perfed gift^ cometh down^ James i. 17, and 
that unto Jefus Chrijl whom he hath fenty as his 
Unfpeakable Qift^ all Power in heaven and in 
earth is given^ for the very purpofe of employ- 
ing the good means ^ as well as for accomplifliing 
the perfeEi end. Compare Pfalm Ixviii. 18, 19, 
20, with Ephef. iv. 7 to 13, and 1 Cor. iii. 21, 
22, 23. 

They know that the Son of God is comcy and has 
given them a7i Underjlanding tJxat they may know 
HIM THAT IS TRUE, 1 John V. 20. They had 
heard of him by the hearing of the ear, and 
fuppofed that they had known hijn. This 
Ee 



2 1 8 Life through the Name ofjefus Chrift.. 

knowledge, while they fought no farther, puff- 
ed them up •, fo that they thought of them- 
felves more highly than they ought to have 
thought. They knew nothing yet as they 
ought to know •, but deceived themfelves. 
They knew not God* The evidence of their ig- 
norance was their walking in darknefs. But 
when brought to fee Jefus Chrift, the Image 
of the Invifible God, and to know that who- 
foever feeth him in his proper charafter, feeth 
the Father in him, and him in the Father, they 
perceive that they had been uttering what they 
underftood not •, things too wonderful for 
them which they knew not. They are led to 
fay with Job, I have heard of thee with the hear-' 
ing of the ear ; but now mine eye feeth thee : 
wherefore I abhor myfelf and repent in dtfl and 
afjesy Job xlli. 5, 6. This is the very ftate to 
which the voice of the Son of God was defign- 
ed to bring them. Opening their underftand- 
ings to that Goodnefs of God which leadeth to » 
repentance, and that Life which is in the Son 
of God J they are led to behold as in a Mirror, 



Life through the Name of J ejus Chrifi. 219 

the Glory of the Lord, and are changed into 
the fame image, fo as to be united to the Fa- 
ther and the Son, by the Spirit of the Lord. 
They are ifi him that is truey i?i his Son Jefus 
Chrifl. They know in their happy experience 
that this is the True Godj and the Eternal Life. 
Their eyes having been opened, they knew 
that they were naked and miferable through 
their wickednefs. There was no hope for them 
but in the forgive nefs of their fins through the 
Mercy of God ; and the Son fo revealed the 
Father to them, as to convince them that there 
is forgive nefs with Hitn that He may be feared ; 
that with the Lord there is Mercy ^ and plenteous 
Redemption ; and that hefhall redeem Ifraelfrom 
all his iniquities J Pfalm cxxx. Therefore they 
are encouraged to hope in the Lord, They are 
convinced that this Gracioufnefs is not tranfi- 
tory and changeable ; but that it is a perma- 
nent principle of Divine Goodnefs ; being an 
eflential part of the Charafter of the Only True 
Godf as delineated by Himfelf, Exod. xxxiv. 6, 
7, hence they are encouraged to truJI in the Lord 



220 Life through the Name of J ejus Qhrijl. 

forever. This perception of the Divine Gra-i^ 
cioufnefs and long-fufFering, melts their hearts 
into that Godly forrow for their fins, which 
worketh Repentance unto Salvation ; fo that 
while they are brought to loathe themfelves, 
becaufe of all their abominations ; they find 
all their confolation ; all that their hearts can 
now defire ; goodnefs infinitely beyond what 
they can conceive or exprefs ; flowing, as a 
well fpring of Spiritual Life, from the incx- 
hauftible fountain ; with fuch Divine conde- 
fcenfion, that while it reprefles and deftroys 
their pride, and every evil thought \ fills them 
with joy unfpeakable and full of Glory, and 
convinces them that they have found The True 
Gody and the Eternal Life ; and brings them 
to cry, in the language of the Prophet, Lo : 
this is our God ; we have ^waited for Him ; He 
will fave us. This is the Lord ; we have waited 
for Him ; we will be glad and rejoice in His faU 
vation, Ifai. xxv. 9. 

This change from Death in Sins, to Life in 
Jefus Chrift, or from fpiritual Death to the re- 



Life through the Name of Jefus Chrifi, 221 

newal of Spiritual Life, is fpoken of in the 
New Teftament, by various expreflions, as he- 
gotten agairiy James i. 1 8. Of his own will be^ 
gat he us with the word of Truths compare 1 
Pet. i. 3. Born again 1 Pet. i. 23. Beifig 
born again — by the word of the Living God^ John 
iii. 3, 5. Born from above — -Bornof Water and 
the Spirit, A new Creation^ 2 Cor. v. 17. 
Therefore if any man be in Chrifl^ he is a fieii^ 
Creature ; old things are paffed away ; behold all 
things are become new. Hence New-born babes ; 
the New man ; New Creature ; Renewed in the 
Spirit of the Mindy isfc. are terms frequently 
met with in the writings of the Apoftles ; all 
having reference to that change effefted by 
the awakening voice of the Son of God^ and the 
Spirit that quickeneth ; whereby God produceth 
in man all thofe Divine tempers and powers, 
which, in his ftate of Alienation from God, 
are not in him ; and thereby deflroys all the 
evil thoughts and flefhiy lufts that are in him ; 
for God hath chofen the things that are not^ to 
bring to nought the things that are; in order that 



222 Life through the Name of Jefus Chrifl. 

he may totally fubvert the hGaJiing of all fejh 
before him. 

Among the earlieft appearances of life, in 
the infant born into this world, are crying, 
which is a fign of want ; and feeling the need 
of the milk of the breaft, and the care of the 
parent, which are adapted for fupplying the 
wants of the babe, incapable of helping itfelf. 
Jn like manner, among the firft effefls of 
being quickened from Spiritual Death, or being 
born again, are a fenfe of want, and feeling the 
need of the fincere milk of the word, and of 
the Gracious care of the Lord \ nothing elfe is 
fit to fupply the wants of thofe who are born 
from above. Nothing but tafting the Gra- 
cioufnefs of the Lord can fatisfy the defires 
now awakened. The defire of their fouls is to his 
name^ afid to the remembrance of Him. In the 
feafons of darhnefs the Soul defires Hijn» The 
Spirit will feek him early ^ Ifa. xxvi. But this 
Seeking the Lord with the Soul and Spirit, is 
the Spirit and practice of Prayer \ and though 
they know not what they fhould pray for as 



Life through the Name of Jefus Chri/i. 223 

they ought, their hearts are turned to him in 
earned defire \ and the Spirit of Grace and 
Supplication, which, according to his promife, 
he pours upon them, helpeth their weaknefs ; 
and with unutterable groanings, intercedes for 
them according to the will of God, and inter- 
cedes not in vain. They are now made fen- 
fible of their poverty, their weaknefs, their 
needs : their hearts ligh after the Divine Ful- 
nefs treafured up in Chrift, they need the fup- 
port of the Lord, and cry to him whofe ftrength 
alone can fave them. The Lord hears and an- 
fwers them. For the opprejfwn of the Poor ^ for the 
Sighmg of the Needy y Jioiv ivill I ar'ife faith the 
Lord ; I will fet him in fafetyfrcrn him that puf 
feth at him. Pfalm xii. 5. 



22^ The Nazarite, 



LETTER XIIL 



The Nazarite. 



4 



IN all ages, and under every difpenfation, the 
purpofes of God have been in fome mea- 
fure unfolded, and the means and progrefs of 
their accomplifhment exhibited, in fuch por- 
tions and meafurcs as the Wifdom of God faw 
meet. The Spirit of God taught the fame 
doftrines, and led the believers to the fame ho- 
Knefs ; whether under the types and fliadows 
of the Mofaic Economy, or the more open 
and unvailed manifeftations in the New Tefta- 
ment. TJie faithful fervants of God were, ac- 



The Nazarite, 225 

cording to their meafure, made partakers of 
Spiritual Life through the Name of the AtiGintei 
Rejiorer. This may be feen in many ancient 
types and emblems opened to our view by the 
Divine Spirit in the New Teftament. As an 
inftance of this, we may take for the prefent 
fubjeft of conGderation, the charafter of 

THE NAZARITE. 

IN Matthew ii. 23. we read, that when Jo- 
feph and Mary brought Jefus to dwell in a City 
called Nazareth, this event took place that it 
might be fulfilled which was fpoken by the 
Prophets, Hejhallbe called a Nazare?2e. There 
is indeed no fuch prediftion, in exprefs terms, 
in any of the Prophetic writings ; but from 
the Evangelift's faying, // was fpoken by the Pro- 
phets ; without referring to any particular 
Prophecy •, it would feem to intend the Chq- 
racier of the Nazaritey which was to be fulfilled 
in Jefus, as being feparatei to the Lord ; which 
was the general teftimony of all the Prophets 4 
Ff 



226 The Nazarite. 

of which, his going to dwell in Nazareth, was 
an external indication. Hence we are natu- 
rally led to confider the charafter of the Naza- 
rite, and the ufe of the figure. 

The inftitution, or more properly, the Law 
of the Nazarite, is recorded in the fixth chapter 
of the book of Numbers ; where we find that 
the name Nazarite^ denotes one Separated to the 
Lord. This feparation was to be Voluntary^ a 
felf-devotednefs by Vow ; z deliberate refolu- 
tion, publicly exprefled ; whereby the Naza- 
rite Separated him/elf to the Lord*. He was to 
Separate himfelf from Wlne^ and irom Jlrong 
drinky and from Vinegar of Wine or of Strong 
drink \ He was to eat nothing of the product 
of the \\ntfrom the kernel to the hujk nor to eat 
grapes^ moijl or dried. No razor was to come 
upon his head; but his locks were to continue 
growing all the days of his feparation ; and as 
he was to be holy to the Lord himfelf, fo he 
was not to defile himfelf with any thing dead, 
nor with any uncleannefs of others, even his 
neareft kindred; for the confecration of his God 



% 



The Nazarite. 22? 

-was upon his head. When the days of his Se^ 
paration were accomplifhed, he was to bring 
his offerings to the Tabernacle ; the Prieft was 
to prefent them before the Lord. The Nazarite 
was then to fhave his head and put the hair in 
the fire under the Peace-OfFering. The fhoul- 
der, a cake, and a wafer of the Peace-OfFering 
v/ere then to be put on his hand by the Priefl; 
the Prieft fhould wave them before the Lord, 
after which the Nazarite might drink wine. 

In the various particulars mentioned in this 
chapter, we may perceive the Character of our 
Lord, exhibited in the figure ; as going before 
his Sheep ; having in all things the pre-emi- 
nence. With thefc particulars all the Prophets 
were well acquainted ; and by the Spirit of 
Chrift which was in them, were taught their 
application to H'uuy of whom Mofes in the 
Law, had written ; hence the voice of all the 
Prophets was, He JJjall be called a Nazarene. 
His voluntary feparation, and devotednefs to 
the liord are expreffed in the fortieth Pfalm. 
Lo I Come* — / delight to do ij^y will O God. Tea 



328 Ihe Nazarite. 

thy Law is within my heart , confirmed by his 
own teftimony, John vi. 38. / came down from 
Heavefiy not to do mine own will ; but the will 
of him whofent me. His feparation from thofe 
earthly things which exhilarate and intoxicate 
the minds of men, reprefented under the fimi- 
litudes of Wine and Strong drink ; marked his 
dependence for ftrength and bleflednefs, upon 
his God and Father. He was a man of Sor- 
rows and acquainted with Grief ; defpifed and \\ 
difejleemed ; perfecuted ; He had not where to lay 
his head. The confecration of his God was 
upon his head. The Father had SanBifed and 
fent him into the world, — He SanBified himfelf ; 
that the works of the Father which he did 
might bear witnefs of his vow, and were at 
once his adorning, and the fruits of his confe- 
cration. As he was holy himfelf, fo he was 
not contaminated with the uncleannefs of 
others ; not even of his kindred according tp 
the flefh. He was holy^ harmlefs^ undefiledy and 
feparated from ftnners. As the antitype of 
Daniel, who had purpofed in his heart that he 



1 



The Nazarite. 2"29 

■would not defile hhnfelf ivith the meat and wine of 
the kings of the earth. He was filled with wif 
dom atid imderfianding ;fo that there was none Hie 
him for revealing the deep thifigs of God. Like 
Samuel, he was eftablifhed a Prophet of the 
Lord, mighty in word and deed before God and all 
the people. Like Sampfon, he was appointed the 
deliverer of Ifrael ; and the overcoming of ene- 
mies by his death was greater than all that he 
had done in his life. — Thefe types performed 
their refpeciive parts in the figure ; in Him the 
whole of the truth, which they prefigured, had 
its fulfilment. At the accompliihment of his 
vow, his obedience and wonderful works, 
which had been growing without interruption, 
during his whole life, were taken off from the 
earthly exhibition, united and offered up to 
God with the Spiritual Sacrifice of Peace Of- 
fering ; when He who is Our Peace y took away 
the wall of partition from between the Jews and 
the Gentiles ; to reconcile both unto God in one body 
by the crofs ; and opening a new and living way, 
gave both accefs by one Spirit unto the Father, 



230 The NaTutnie. 

In the law of the Nazarite, however, there 
is a provifion, which fhews, that though the 
general charafter was to be fulfilled in the 
only-begotten Son of God, as having in all 
things the pre-eminence, yet it was not intend- 
ed to be confined to him individually; but 
was to extend to either man or woman ivhojhould 
feparate them/elves to the Lord ; as the text ex- 
prefles it. The provifion referred to is in 
verfes 9, 10, 11, and 12. which were not, 
and could not be applicable to Jefus Chrift. 
Hence we are led to contemplate the charac- 
ter of Our Blefled Lord as the pattern to 
which we ought to be conformed ; and to con- 
fider the law in its application to thofe who 
follow the true Nazarite in ivhom God is ivell 
pleafed, 

Thofe who hear the word of the Son, and be- 
lieve on the Father, who hath {cnthimyvo/untari- 
ly feparate themfelves to the Lord. They are invit- 
ed, with promifes, to feparate themfelves from 

all abominations, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. Conie out 

from among them, and he ye feparate, faith the 



The Nazariie. 2Si 

Lordy and touch not the unclean ; and 1 will re- 
ceive youy and will be a Father unto youj and ye 
Jhall be my Sons and Daughters, faith the Lord 
Almighty. The Nazaritc was to feparate him- 
felf from wine and ftrong drink, from the 
vinegar of both, and from every produft of the 
vine. The Chriftian is to feparate himfelf 
from whatever intoxicates the mind with earth- 
ly things, and debafes the powers or faculties 
which God hath given him. Self-denial, and 
taking up the Crofs, are indifpenfable in thofe 
who will follow Jefus Chrift. Ufmg this world 
as not abufing it, or that temperate ufe of law- 
ful things which becomes Chriftians, v/ho feek 
not their beft comforts from the intoxicating 
indulgence of the tafte for even the moft excel- 
lent of earthly things ; but look for the elevat- 
ing comforts and gladnefs of heart which leaves 
no fting nor deprelTion in the review, the joy 
unfpeakable and full of Glory \ not in the 
abundance of corn and wine, but in the Love 
of God, manifefted in Chriil Jefus our Lord \ 
who has teftified that man fhall not live by 



232 The Ndzarite. 

bread alone ; but by every word which pro« 
ceedeth out of the mouth of God. Daniel and 
his fellows had fet their hearts to feek the 
Lord their God, and had purpofed in their 
hearts that they would not defile themfelves 
with the king's meat, nor with the wine which 
he drank ; but would keep themfelves pure j 
and God gave them knowledge and fkill in 
all learning and wifdom ; fo that in all matters 
of wifdom and underftanding, there was none 
like them ; for they were found ten times bet- 
ter than all the wife ones who had not fo fepa- 
rated themfelves ; infomuch that even the king 
himfelf was conftrained to acknowledge the 
true God, and to bear teftimony to the decided 
fuperiority of that Wifdom which Daniel had 
received from the moft high God. It is in the 
way of felf-denial, and feparating ourfelves 
from indulging the lufts of the flefh and of the 
mind that we are to feek that wifdom of God, 
which is revealed to them who as babes in 
Chrift, are weaned from the milk, and drawn 
from the breafts of earthly confolation, that 



The Nazante. 288' 

chey may feek the wifdom that cometh [from 
above, which God gives liberally to all who^ 
feeling their need of it, aik in Faith, and they' 
fhall receive it; for according to our Lcird^s- 
rule, the only way to increafe in Spirituai 
wifdom and knowledge is,, to do the will of 
God •, and the reafon is obvious ; becaufd by 
thus feparating ourfelves from evil, and deny- 
ing ourfelves from excefs in things lawfu), the 
mind becomes habituated to Spiritual eoht^m- 
plation and to heavenly pra£lice ; and we well 
know, that to whatever objeQs the mind is led 
by habit, and the pra6i;ice uniformly directed, 
there is the line of purfuit in which greater 
improvement may be expe£l:ed, and, greater 
proficiency acquired. This is the cafe in earth- 
ly purfuits •, but much more fo in thaheavenly 
courfe j where the new man is, by tlie DivipC; 
Spirit, renewed in knowledge, righteoufiaefs,. 
and holinefs of the Truth, after the Image of 
him who created him, feeing by • this fcpara- 
tion and felf-denial, and keeping the heart de- 
voted to the will of God, the, obfl:aekg^avc,,V€"- 



234 , TheNazarite. 

moved, and the Chriftian labours, ftriving, not 
againft, but according to, the working of the 
Spirit of the Hving God, which worketh in him 
mightily, to form him after the Image of the 
only-begotten Son of God. 

The hair of the Nazarite's head was to grow 
aU the days of his vow. This was to be his 
badge of diftinftion, and was to continue with- 
out interruption until it had attained all the 
maturity which the time of feparation admitted. 
The fruits of Righteoufnefs which the Chrif- 
tians are to cultivate, are to be uninterrupted 
in their growth until the time of the harveft. 
The love of Gody Jhed abroad in their hearts by 
the Holy Spirit, as the Seed of God, (hoots forth, 
and produces The works of Faith, the Labours of 
Love, and the Patience of Hope, in the fight of 
God^'even our. Saviour. If ye Love me, fays our 
Lord',' 'keep my Commandments : — hereby floall all 
men hionxj that ye are my difciples, if ye Love ofie 
armiher; This is their badge of diftinftion, by 
which they themfelvcs are adorned, and by 
which' they' adorn the doftrine God our Sa- 



% 



The Nazarite, 235 

viour in all things. Hence it is enjoined on 
them to bejledfajlj unmoveable^ always aboutidtng 
in the work of the Lordy af they know that their 
labour is not in vain in the Lord* They delight 
in the Law of Gody and are devoted to do or fuf- 
fer whatever they know to be the will of God ; 
thereby approving themfelves as the follow- 
ers of HiiUy who catne not to do his own ivilly but 
the will of Him who fent him. 

It is obfervable of Sampfon, that his extra* 
ordinary ftrength was connecled with the con- 
tinued growth, and prefervation of his hair. 
The Spiritual ftrength of the feparated ones, 
upon whofe head is the confecration of their 
God, is not their own ; but like Sampfon's, is 
the Gift of God. They 2X^flrong in the Lordy 
and in the power of B.IS might. The continuance 
and increafe of this Spiritual ftrength, whereby 
they are made more than conquerors over all their 
enemies, through him who loveth theniy is necef- 
farily connecled with their continuing and in- 
crealing in Holinefs, and in all the fruits of the 
Spirit, whereby they grow in grace y and in the 



'236 The Nazarite. 

kncickdge cj the Lcrd and Saviour Jefus Chrtft. 
Hence arlfes the neceffity of their watchful- 
jiefs, that they may beware, not only of evil 
thoughts arifing in their own hearts, and there- 
by defiling them , but alfo that they may not 
be defiled by the deadnefs of others, even of 
thofe who kre moft dear to them according to 
the flefli. This indeed cannot injure them with- 
out their having fuch connection with them as 
to make themfelves unclean thereby, as a vo- 
luntary aclion. The Chriftian ought to htholy 
■to the Lord, all his days, and to be conftantly 
on his guard againft fudden contamination, 
that he may not be partaker of other men's 
lins ; left ^a^hefi his Lcrd cometh fuddcniyy he be 
found off his guard, eating and drinking luitk 
the drunkeKy and thereby hath defiled the head cf 
his confecration. All his righteoufnefs that he hath 
done^ is cut off, hke the hair of the Nazarite's 
head in the day of his defilement. 

But the Lord, who hioiveth cur frame ^ and 
re member eth that ive are duft ; who well knew 
how ready v/e vrere to turn afide like a deceit- 



The Nazarite. 237 

ful bow -, determined not utterly to rejeft thofe 
who fell, The Lord iviH not cajl off forever ; but 
though he caufe grief ^ yet will he have compajfony 
according to the multitude of his tender mercies^ 
Lam. iii. 31, 32. Contemplating the Naza- 
rites, who had httn purer than Snow, whiter than 
Milkj more ruddy in body than rubies, and whofe 
polifhing had been of Sapphire; when their 
vifdge had become blacker than a coal, when 
the\ were not known in the Jlreets, but their fkin 
cleaved to their bones, and became withered like a 
Jlick, chap. iv. 7, 8. even then he did not for- 
fake them •, but provided forr the recovery of 
the defiled Nazarite, who was to bring his of- 
fering to the Lord for reconciliation, and on 
prefenting his trefpafs-offering, his head {hould 
again be hallowed that he might confecrate 
anew to the Lord the days of his feparation. 
This was to be done by the miniftry of the 
Prieft, that he might be holy to the Lord. The 
Apoftle fhews us the Spirit of this in the New 
Teftament, 1 John ii. 1, 2. My little Children, 
il:efc things writs I u7ito you that ye fin not ; and 



238 The Nazarite. 

if any man ftn^ we have an advocate zuith the 
Father^ Jefus Chrijl the Righteous. He is the 
bearer of Mercy ^ for our Sins. It was for this 
very purpofc that God exalted him with his right 
hand to be a Prince and Saviotir^ to give repent^ 
ance taito Ifrael^ and remijfion of fins ^ Afts v, 31. 
Hence in the beautiful parable of the loft fheep, 
our Lord exhibits to us fuch an interefting 
view of his own char after and v/ork, as rejoic- 
ing over the lofl Jheep which he had recovered. 

The Nazarite, deeply humbled by his fall, 
would in future be more on his guard, and 
flrongly imprefied with the neceffity of conftant 
dependance upon his God, that he might be 
preferved in the way in which he ought to 
v/alk. In the New Teftament, the Apoftle 
tells us that Godly for row 'worketh repentance to 
Salvation^ not to be repented of The Chriftian 
who feels his own weaknefs, and laments his 
backfllding is more and more led to feek to 
that ftrength which is made perfe<5l in weak- . 
nefs. When humbled under a deep fenfe of 
his departure from following the Lord, Ris 



The Nazante, %%% 

heart will be filled with gratitude for that mer- 
cy wherewith the Lord has called him to return. 
So it was with Sampfon, who tempted the Lord, 
and went on in evil till his locks were fhorn, 
and his ftrength departed, v^^hile he faid he 
would go out and (hake himfelf as at other 
times; not knowing that by having turned 
away from the fource of his flrength he no 
longer enjoyed its. invigorating : power \ his 
enemies prevailed againft him, bound him, and 
brought him into fervitude \ but when Samp- 
fon was brought low, the Lord, in mercy, 
caufed his hair to grow again, and his ftrength 
returned according to his prayer ; till he obr 
tained a greater victory over his enemies at 
laft, than all that he had atchieved before. In 
like manner, whenever the Chriftian turns 
away from that ftate of feparation whereby he 
had devoted himfelf to the Lord, he turns 
away from the fource of all his fupport ; and 
although the Lord bear long with him ; yet if 
he continue in forfaking the Lord, he fufters 
his enemies to bring him into captivity and 



240 The Nazarite. 

hard bondage. He fees it meet to calife grief, 
and to bring down the tranfgrefibr to tafte of 
great bitternefs j yet even this valley of Achor 
fhall fiiev^^ a door of hope. The Lord, who 
waiteth that he may he gracious, may fee meet 
that the thorns among which he is caught, like 
ManafTeh of old, fliould ftill remain in the flefii 
of the backllider, that he may no more have 
any confidence in the flefh, but look, and ear- 
nefHy feek for that Grace which alone is fuf- 
ficient for him, and that ftrength which is 
made perfedl in weaknefe, that in the valley 
of humility he may bring forth anew the pre- 
cious fruits of Spiritual Life to the Glory of 
God, and may be led to know that notwith- 
ftanding his own weaknefs, he can do all 
things through Chrift who ftrengtheneth him, 
and leadeth him on to more than viftory, for 
the Youths Jh all faint and be weary ^ and the Tourjg 
menjijall utterly fall; but they that trufl in the Lord 
fjjall renew their flrength ; they fhall mount up 
with wings as Eagles ; theyJJjall run^ and not be 
weary ; they fJ: all walk^ and not faint. 



The elofe of the Nazarite'S cburfe \?ra.vtO be 
wkh Sacrifices, The obvious ^efi^n 'bf ^e 
bufnt and fin-offerings was to be an emblem ^of 
the deftruftion of (my or what in the New Tef- 
tament is ftyled, the Crucifixion or death of the 
Old man ; that the hoAy of fiji may be deftroy- " 
ed ; that ChriPiians ihoald not ferve fin. In: 
the cafe of the Nazarite, doubtlefs it was de- 
figned for the fame purpofe 5 that he who had 
been feparated to the Lord fhould not turn 
again to folly. The Peace-offering cofrefpond- 
cd with the thank-offerings ; and was an em- 
blematic afcription of thanks to God for the 
Peace connedled with Separatian U the Lor d^ 
and of Gratitude to him who had fupported 
the Nazarite to the clofe of his vow, which he 
had now paid. A fentiment like this appears 
to be expreffed, Pfalm cxvi. 12,— 19. The Na- 
zarite^s Peace-offering was to be according to 
the law of the Peace-offerings^ I^evit. vii. 11, 
&c. it was to be offered for a thankfgiving, and 
with the facrifice of thankfgiving he. ftould of- 
fer unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and un- 
le^ivened wafers anointed with': oil..;>.M<Tli^fe 
Hh 



242 The Nazarite. 

were to be offered with the Sacrifice of thahkf- 
giving of his Peace- offerings, verfe xiii. No 
doubt what Peter ftyles Spiritual Sacrifices^ 1 
Pet. ii. 5. and Paul, Heb. xiii. 15. the Sacrifice 
of.praife to God, — The fruit of our lips, giving 
thanks to his name, had reference to the Sacri- 
fices of thankfulnefs under the law. The un- 
leavened cakes mingled with oil, and wafers 
anointed with oil, would, in the language of the 
New Teflament, be expreflive of the Spiritual 
food, with which the Chriflian is fupported ; 
and the connefting of them in the Sacrifice of 
thankfgiving of the Peace-offering, may well 
be underflood as a public acknowledgment that 
all our Peace, and Spiritual flrength and fup- 
port,is to beafcribed to God. When theNazarite 
fhaved his head, he was to put the hair of his 
locks of feparation in the fire under the Peace- 
offering, that all fhould afcend to God in one 
general facrifice of thankfulnefs •, does it not 
well correfpond with the language of the Pro- 
phet, Lord, thou alfo hafi wrought all our ivorhs 
in us P and of the Apoftle — // // God who nx/ork" 
eth in youyboth to ivill and to do, of his good plea- 



1 



The Nazarite. 243 

fure P As it is Chrift who liveth in the Chrif- 
tian, fo the fruits which he brings forth 
are the works of that fame Spirit ; and there- 
fore in their facrifices of thankfgiving, the 
fruit of their lips will exprefs the fame fenti- 
ment with David, 1 Chron. xxix. 14 — all things 
come of thee^ and of thine own have we given thee. 
When the Chriftian has finiflied the days of his 
feparation, and his obedience is matured for the 
harvcft \ the ingathering mufl be holy to the Lord^ 
as the firfl fruits were holy. Afterwards the Na^ 
zarite might drink wine. Does it not forcibly 
bring to our minds, as its antitype, our Lord's 
words to his Difciples, Luke xxii. 29, 30. / 
'appoint unio you a kingdom^ ar'tny' 'Father hath 
'appoi77ted unto Trie ; that ye may eat and drink at 
my table ^ i?i my kingdom. Even in the prefent 
imperfeft ftate, we have the earned of thofe 
Spiritual bleffings exprefled by the words of our 
Lord ; but the full enjoyment of them can only 
be entered on when this mortal fhall have put on 
immortality^ and this corruptiblefhall have put or:- 
incorruption^ and that faying that is written fjdll be 
brought to pafs^ Death is fwallowed up in FiBory. 



24»^ The Spirit if M^knefs. 






"^'^^EETTER Xm 



^Si-vi.:-. 



WV'j 1^ Jv^i 



,, iJ 



The Spirit of Meekmfs.- 



o';.>4 TMQNG.all the perfedioiis which, are 
j\^ united in our bleffeci Lord, none more 
Wrongly mark his charafter than the Meek- 
nefs and Lowlinefs by which he is diftinguifh- 
ed. Whether we confider him as the Image of 
the Invifible Godj manifefting the long-fufiering 
kindnefs of our Heavenly Father, waiting to be 
gracious unto us j or fet forth as the pattern 
to which we are to be conformed, according to 
the Divine appointment j or rather as uniting 
both thefe views •, this charafteriftic of our 



The Zpint of Meeknefs. 245 

Lord is of peculiar iolportance, both to our un- 
der {landing and pofleffiiig the Chrijlian Life. 

In this charafter:the Prophet reprefents the 
King of Zion and Jerufalem, Zach. ix. 9. and 
the Evangelift marks the verification of the pro- 
phecy, Mat. xxi. 5. prefenting him to our view as 
A^ Meek one, I am meek and Lowly in hearty faid 
Jftfus. . It is recorded of Mofes, Num. xii. 5. 
b^^ he was veTyMeek, above all the men which 
v/ere upon the: face of the earth ; yet his Spi- 
rit was fo provpked at the waters of Strife, that 
he fpake unadvifedly with his lips, and there- 
fore could not enter into the reft j Num. xx. 
Pfal. cvi. 33. But the meeknefs cf Our Lord 
was perfeft ; no temptation overcame him; 
no irritation provoked him fo as to fpeak unad- 
vifedly \ no trial overcame his fortitude \ be- 
caufe he had devoted himfelf, not to do his 
own will, but the will of the Father who had 
fent him. Meeknefs was confpicuous in his 
whole deportment, bearing full witnefs that 
the spirit of Meeknefs was in his heart. In him 
^yas manifefted the perfection of that Charity 



£46 The Spirit of Meekfiefs* 

or Love which the Apoftle faitlii^/v^^r^/A lati^ 
and jlill is kind, fie was mahifefted for the 
very purpofe of exhibiting^^ the inextinguifliable 
kindnefs of- God, that Lov-e, which by }ong- 
fufFering gracioufnefs^ arid invincible perfever- 
ance, fliould at laft aflimilate all rational beings 
Into its own iikenels. It was in this character 
that the Lord came into Jerufalem,' that he 
might cleanfe his FatherVhoufti'ahd reftore it 
to its original ufe, andit is- tti^the^ fame. Spirit 
of Meeknefs that he corned into the hearts of 
thofe who will hear his voice, that he may pu- 
rify them from all their defilements to be tem- 
ples of the Holy Spirit, a peculiar people, zeal- 
ous of good works. They know him in this 
Character, and learning his Meeknefs and 
Lowlinefs, feel the power and importance of 
their pattern. This is the principle upon which 
the Apoftle introduces a motive, which he well 
knew would have great influence with Chrif- 
tians ; / hefeech you by the Meeknefs and Gentle- 
nefs of Chrifl. He confiders it as powerful an 
argument as when he fays, / lefeech you by the 



The Spirit of Meehiefs. 2-47 

Mercies of God ; to which indeed it has very 
near affinity, or rather is the very fame thing ; 
for the Mercies of Godj are exhibited in the 
Meeknefs and Gentlenefs of Chriji, 

Learn of me^ faith he, for I am Meek and 
Lowly in Hearty and ye fh all find again rejitoyour 
Souls. We are to learn this Meeknefs and 
Lowlinefs from Him, in order that we may 
learn of Chrift to walk as he aifo walked, that 
doing his commandments, we may abide in his 
Love, even as he alfo kept his Father's com- 
mandments, and abode in his Love. We had 
gone aftray from Him who is the true reft ; 
and never, till we are reftored to this ftate of 
mind, can we again find the Reft ^wherewith the 
iveary fhall be caifed to refl. When we are 
brought to this ftate, we fhall know that it is not 
our own work, but our Lord's own Spirit of 
Meeknefs and Lowlinefs fhed abroad in our 
hearts. It is Chrift himfeli dwelling in our 
hearts by faith, and filling us with peace and 
joy in believing and obeying Him. This 
Meeknefs is one of the fruits of the Spirit,, 



24S The Spirit of Meeknejs. 

Gal. V. 23. Hence we are inftruiled to walk 
nvorthy of the vocatiofi ivkerewith ive are called, 
ivith all hOWLllifESS AND MEEKNESS, unth long 
Sufferings forbearing sne another in Love ; endea- 
vouring to keep the Unity of the. Spirit in the bond 
of Peace^ Eph. iv. 1, 2, 3. to put on Meeknefs^ as 
one of the Charafters of the eleft of God> 
Col. iii. 12. to follow Meeknafsy 1 Tim. vi. 11. 
as the Prophet had direfted to feeh Meehnejsy 
Zeph. ii. 3. to receive with Meehnefi the in- 
grafted word, James i. 21. to fliow, out of a 
good converfation, our works with Meehnefs of 
Wifdomy ch. iii. 13. 

In the deportment of Chriftians towards one 
another they are to walk in the Spirit of Meek- 
nefs ; thereby fecuring the afFeftions of their 
Brethren, and inviting to Love and to good 
works ; even when any one of their fociety has 
finned and continued to difregard their Love, 
fo as to be counted as a heathen man and a Pub* 
lican : If he be brought to repentance and con- 
fefiion of his fins, he is to be reftored in the 
fame Spirit of Meektiefs, But it is not only in 



Tie SpyiS ofM^AneJi. 249 

their conduft towards one janother that GhriC- 
ti^mvit \ to: wiilk -m the fteps of tbrfr liord | 
wben called Mpoj^rby.Qti^ers far a reafon of the 
hope that is. in, them,, they jx^, to give that reav 
ioxL'imth Mtekntfs and^feosff^y^ LiPbtL iii; 'ii5c. and 
m Metimfs to infta^ucl thofe -vrhor opp^iSe them* 
felves, 2 Tim. ii. 25. and finaJJ jr .to jhew jail 
M^eknefi tmta ^// wf/2, Tit. ilL: 2. dmt the. whole 
of their deportment may hear full witnefs of 
their being-Ieii:. by ithe Spirit of God, and ap-» 
proving thqmfelves his Childifeil. 
; The Meeknefs of our Lord reiled on that 
ground which is the properfoundatiojiof al! gCr 
iiuine Meeknefs: a perfect refign^tiQ^i of the 
heart and Nvill to the will of God. In exaft pro- 
portion as our hearts have learned to fay, Father^ 
not our will; but thine be done;- in ti)e fan^c degree 
have we learned the Meeknefs and Lowlinefs 
of Jefus Chrift. From this refignation will 
arife confidence in that grace which is always 
fufficient for us ; in that ftrength which is per- 
fected in weaknefs; and confequently that for- 
titude which is .eflential to the very exiftence of 
li 



250 The Spirit of Meeknefs. 

Meeknefs ; which enables the followers of Je- 
fus to bear reproaches, afTronts, and injuries 
with evennefs of temper, and firm compofure 
of rtiind ; committing the keeping of their 
Souls in welldoing to Him, as to a Faithful Cre- 
ator, who, while they feek Him, will never leave 
them nor forfake them. This mildnefs, foft- 
nefs, and gentlenefs of temper, not eafily dif- 
compofed, nor foon angry, is connefted with 
that lowlinefs and humblenefs ofimind which 
knows and feels its own weaknefs ; and look^ 
away from itfelf, to feek and find all its fufE- 
ciency in Jefus Chrift. 

' ' The Meek of the earth are called tofeeh the 
Lordy Zeph. ii. 3. and when they feek him in 
Meeknefs, they enter into the enjoyment of 
the promifes. The MeekJJjall ifjcreftfe their Jsy 
hi the Lordy Ifai. xxix. 19. He will guide them 
in fudgmenty Pfal. xxv. 9. God arifts to Save 
theiriy Pfal. Ixxvi. 9 He lifts t htm upy cxlvii. 6. 
He will beautify them with Salvatiotjy cxlix. 4. 
Theyjhall eat and be fatisfiedy xxii. 26. They 
[hall inherit the earthy xlvii. 11. Math. v. 5 



The Spirit of Meehnefs* 251 

Meditate upon thefe, and you will, find them 
opening a rich and inexhauftible mine of heart- 
reviving confolation during your pilgrimage ; 
and giving a foretafte of the bleffednefs which 
awaits the children of God when they fliall 
arrive at their Father's houfe, whither Jefus will 
take them. 

The Spirit of Meeknefs Is to be in conftant 
operation in the Chriftiah 5 it is to be the Spi- 
rit of his life ; and while he keeps in this Spi- 
rit, it will difarm what are called the ills of life y 
of the greateft part of their bitternefs. It will 
lead him to obferv.e.the hand, and the goodnefs 
of God, where the want of this Spirit would 
render him incapable of perceiving any thing 
but the bitternefs and dlftrefs which thefe ills 
occafion. Even the hardeft trials to which the 
Chriftian is expofed, will be foftcned and 
fmoothed by the Spirit of Meeknefs, while fub- 
mitting himfelf to the Will of Cod, he derives 
ftrength for more than victory, from the fulnefs 
treafured up in Chrift, the pattern of Meeknefs. 
Ix)oking unto Jefus, the Author and finifher of 



252 The Spirit of Meehtefs. 

Faith, he will endure his trials, in the precious 
hiope of partaking with Jefus in his Glory ; 
when having fought the good fight, and kept 
the Faith, he fhall be prepared to receive the 
Crown. Being the ruling temper of his mind, 
it will go with him where he goes -, in his fa- 
mily it will not only prevent much uneafinefs, 
but will give a dignity, and folid importance to 
his charafter. His inftruftions to his family 
and domeffics> giveii with coblnefs and Judg- 
inent, will he the more likely to be refpe(fl fully 
received. It will go with him to his work, 
and whether in the farm or the fhop, his mind 
being unruffled by trifling vexations, he will 
the more clearly perceive the fteps which he 
ought to take. In his intercourfe with the 
world, the spirit of Meehnefs will difarm the 
difficulties which he may meet wHth, of their 
hurtful power; while pofleffing his foul in 
Meeknefs and patience, the adverfary will be 
prevented from obtaining advantage over him. 
Even Ihould he be overcome by temptation, 
and fin againft the Lord \ the -habits of fiib- 



The Spirit of Meeknefs, ^o'o 

mifTion, previoufly induced by the Spirit of 
Meeknefs, will facilitate his recovery from the 
error of his way •, and bring him by unfeigned 
repentance, and increafed felf-abafement, to 
confefs his Sins to the Lordj who is Faithful and 
Jujl to forgive him his Sins ; and to cleanfe him 
from all Unrighteoufnefs, 

In every department of life, the Spirit of 
Meeknefs is of the greateft importance to man. 
In the world, it was well obferved by Solomon, 
that a foft anfwer turneth away wrath. The 
foft anfwer is the native fruit of Meeknefs ; 
and who has not obferved its benign tendency 
to foften the angry paflions, both in the bo- 
fom of the Meek man, (for he alfo is a man,) 
imd in the oppofer who would have done him 
injury ? In Chriftian Society, it is indlfpenfa- 
bly neceflary for keeping the Unity of the Spirit 
ih the bond of Peace^ and preventing the fpring- 
ing up of any root of bitternefs, which might 
Caufe trouble and defilement, and thereby un- 
dermine that Love and harmony by which the 
difciples of Him who is Meek <ind iofii^ly in heart 



254 .The Spirit of AUehufs. 

fnould be dlftlnguiflied ; and in domeftic. life, 
Kow many trifles, which fingly are not worth 
naming, yet if fufFered to grow, Hke fparks, 
would accumulate, till they broke out into a 
flame, deftru£live of the peace of families and 
neighbourhoods, are checked, and extinguilhed 
by the Spirit of Meeknefs ? 

. But the Wifdom and Goodnefs of our Heav- 
enly Father, who is ever watchful for the hap- 
pinefs of his creatures, has appointed the Spirit 
of Meeknefs its place in the very foundation of 
Society. The Female heart was formed to be the 
feat of Meeknefs and Love. The vnoman was 
defigned to be a help meet for man \ to foothe 
and foften the mind of her partner. Such a 
help he needed, and ftill needs. It is the fweet- 
]y attra6live power of Meeknefs and Modefty, 
appearing in the Virgin deportment, which, 
jnore than beauty, captivates the heart, and en- 
gages the beft affeftions of man ; chaftened and 
purified from every licentious thought ; and 
which, by prefenting the profpeit of permanent 
happinefs) leads to that beft of all earthly con-! 



The spirit of Meeknep. 255 

hefbions, the Marriage Union f an Union, virtu- 
ous, holy, and more than earthly ; induced by 
the rational perfuafron ; honourable to the vir-- 
tuous woman, ^th2it^ An the Iznguzgc of Scrip- 
ttire, the heart &f her hujhapd may fafely trujl in 
^.— Tha^ 'Jhe will do him goody and not 'evil, all 
the days of h^r life. Equally fitted to partici- 
pate and. to inicreafe that happincfs which is 
not confined to earthly things; but while it 
giires'a peculiar relifh to prefent enjoyments, 
raifes the well grounded hope to that ever in- 
cteafing felicity which they know to be the 
portion of the Meek and Lowly heart. — They 
dixQ Heirs together- of the Grace of life. 

On the contrary, whenever thefe interefting 
graces of Meeknefs and Modefly are deficient, 
where, from their intrinfic exeellence, they 
ought to predominate, being of ineflimable 
value ; however fuperior may be the beauty 
and external accomplifliments of the woman, 
and however largely, what are called, the gifts of 
fortune, may be beftowed on her, the truly 
virtuous youth, whofe views of happinefs rife 



256. The Spirit of Meekn^fi. 

beyond mex'Q fenfual gratification, or fpfendid 
appearance, will (hrijtik at the idea of fuchiSt* 
partner for life, and turn from the ob^e<S with 
a mixtuile of pity and difgufl:;:wh^tevef other 
advaiH^geS (he m^y poflefs, . (he wall in realijt'p 
be the objefl of attradipn, oi^ly to the liber*- 
tine, the fool, or the fortupe-hjLiijtcn Alike in- 
Capable of promoting, and of: enjoying, the 
moft exalted kind of dorni^ftig felicity; weari- 
nefs, diffipationjt^ and difappointment are likely 
to attend her. 

But it is in the married ftate, which is th€ 
proper foundation of fociety, that thefc endear- 
ing excellencies are more particularly called. 
into exercife, in the Female, charafter; and 
their eiiefts on the happinefs of the pofleflbr, 
on the family of which flie is nov/ the Miftrefs, 
and on the circle of her neighbourhood, come 
to be felt, as blellings of peculiar importance. 

The Marriage Union was inftituted by God 
himfelf, as the moft important of all earthly 
relations,. and the foundation from which every 
cftimable relation fprings. Honourable in it- 



The spirit of Meehiefs. 2d1 

felf, it is to thofe who are united in the Love 
of God and of one another, the fource of the 
pureft felicity which can be enjoyed on earth ; 
giving them a foretaite of that bleffednefs 
which fnall be confummated in heaven. They 
have in their happy connection, a Hvely image 
of the union between Jefus Chrifi: and the 
Church ; and whiie they, as fellow heirs of the 
Grace of Life, are mutually helping and en- 
couraging one another, their example will have 
<i diftufive and happy influence on the circle of 
their acquaintance ; fo that others, feeing their 
good works, may be led to Glorify our Father 
who is in Heaven. 

Marriages, however, are not all of this clafs. 
It often happens that the union takes place be- 
tween perfons, who love one another, indeed ; 
but who, in the tranfaclion, liave very little if 
any view to the Glory of God. Like the bulk 
of mankind, at their age, they m.ay not have 
begun to think of any thing beyond earthly 
enjoyments ; of thefe, they have promifed to 
rhemfclves a large, fliare, and while Iicalth and 



258 Th Spirit of Meehnefs. ^ 

profperity continue, may think that they have 
obtained their end; but when ficknefs, or what 
are called misfortunes, take place, they will 
find their hopes built on a fandy foundation ; 
for God, who loves them, will moft likely 
mingle in their cup fuch ingredients as may 
ftartle them, and lead them to confider that 
fomething elfe is needful to happinefs, which 
they had not before thought of. While he 
thus brings home to their feelings, and (hows 
to their underftanding, the inftability of earthly 
things, and invites their attention to the voice 
of his Son ; it is moft likely that the Female 
heart may be firft awakened to feek a more 
permanent fupport, which will not fail in the 
day of adverfity ; and deeply humbled in heart, 
will feek help of the Lord, and will not feek in 
vain. Her eyes being now opened, fhe will 
learn of Jcfus, who is Meek ^nd Lowly in heart 
and in her weaknefs, will find fupport in his 
ftrength. (For it is a faft well known in the 
Hiftory of Chriftianity, and no lefs honourable 
to the Female charader than true and fingular. 



The Spirit of Meehiefs. 259 

that Women have more generally, and with 
greater readinefs, received the Gofpel, and been 
more exemplary in their obedience, than Men.) 
Meanwhile her hufband may be ftill engaged 
in the buftle of the world, purfuing the phan- 
toms of vanity, in quell of happinefs, which 
can never be found in that courfe. Vexed by 
difappointments and mortifications of pride ; 
(to fay nothing of remorfe for evil condu£l,) 
perhaps he comes home in ill humour, and may 
even be found to treat the meek fubmifnon of 
his fpoufe with petulant afperity, and pofTibly 
infult her devout humility with the contemp- 
tuous epithets of hypccrify or enthufiafm. — It 
may alfo happeti, that a young vvoman of ieri- 
ous mind, who had in a coniiderable degree 
learned of Him ivho is Aletk and Lowly in hearty 
is fought after by a man in many refpecls 
amiable and worthy, who yet has no feiious 
thoughts of Religion ; a fubjecl which in fuch 
cafes is too feldom an cbjecl of inquiry. His 
honourable affections may have been particular- 
ly drawn to her by the Meeknefs and Modcfty 



tIGO The Sjjiril of Adeeknefs. 

of her deportment ; for thefe graces are al- 
ways attractive to a man of fenfe •, and fhe, 
willing to hope the beft of a beloved, and ge- 
nerally deferving objeft, becomes united to 
him in marriage ; after fome fober reflection, 
if her own heart is not turned away from the 
Lord, {he perceives with confiderable uneafinefs 
that their hearts are not in unifon in the moft 
important of all confiderations. If he is indeed 
a man of fenfe, though he does not fhare the 
religious fentiment with his partn-er, he will 
edeem her, and treat her with tendernefs and 
indulgence ; a Bleffing which will excite her 
gratitude, and redouble her affiduities.to pro- 
mote his beft happinefs. But this is not often 
the cafe j it more frequently happens that the 
Religious wife will be treated at beft with in- 
difference, and not feldom, with derifion or fe- 
verity. — In fuch circumftances the Spirit of 
Meeknefs is tried, and its peculiar importance 
comes to be felt ; and the bleflednefs of Refig- 
nation to, and Trufting in, the Lord will be 
particularly experienced. It requires the for- 



The Spirit of Meeknefu 26 1 

titude which the Divine Spirit alone can give 
to fupport the heart, and tranquillize it under 
fuch prefTure. — Thefe are no imaginary fuppo- 
fitions ; unhappily they have been too often 
exemplified by diftreffing realities in domeftic 
life. 

While the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God 
has appointed to the wife her proper ftatlon, he 
has alfo fliewed the very great importance of 
that Ration, and the blefied effefls which may 
be expefted to refult from the operation of the 
Spirit of Meeknefs and Modefty exemplified in 
the chafte and refpeclful behaviour of the wife 
in her proper fphere, 1 Pet. iii. 1 — 6. Likew/fe 
ye wives y be i?i fubjeBion to your own hufoancls ; 
that if any obey not the wordy they alfo may without 
the word be luo/i by the converfatlon of the wives ; 
While they behold your chafe converfation coupled 
with fear, IVhofe adorning let it not be that 
cutward adorning of plaiting the hair^ and of 
wearing of gold y or of putting en of apparel ; but 
let it be the hidden man of the hearty in that which 
h ?iot corruptible y even the ornament of a meek and 



i 



^62 The Spirit of Meeknejs. .JH 

^UlETSPlRiT, which is in the fight of God of great 
price. For after this manner^ />; the old time ^ the 
holy ivomen alfcy who triijled in God^ adorned 
themfelvesy being in fuhjeBion itnto their own huf 
hands ; even as Sara obeyed Abraham^ calling him 
lord: whofe daughters ye are as long as ye do welly 
and are not afraid with any amazement. 

There will many circumftances occur, in 
which this heavenly difpofition will be found 
indifpenfably requisite for the .happinefs of the 
Godly woman herfelf, and for the peace and 
consfort of her family. To {hare and alleviate 
the .diftrefTes of her huiband; to treat him- with 
moft fincere -afFe£iion^ and cordial fymp^thy ; 
to rejoice with him in profperity ; in a^yerfity 
to foothe and harmonize his temper ; and with 
modeft diffidence, to endeavour to lead him to 
that unfeigned refignation to the Will of God, 
to which her loving example, and ferenity of 
mind kindly invite him. The management of 
children, alfo, is her particular province, and 
befides the maternal folicitude for their welfare 
in infancy, the fupply of their wants, the miti- 



A 



The Spirit cf Meeknefs. 263 

gatlon of their diftrefies and the general prefer- 
vation of their heahh ; the information of their 
minds is a tafk of peculiar importance. In that 
period, when the tender mind is fo ftrongly 
fufceptible of impreffions, which will carry 
their influence into every period of life, how 
important is it both to the individual and to fo- 
ciety that the moral ideas imprefled on the 
mind in early life, fhould be the beft poffible ! 
and who fo fit an inftrument to imprefs on the 
Young mind excellent fentiments as the Mo- 
ther who draws her information from the fource 
of Infinite Wifdom and Benevolence ! But 
while {he is exerting all her powers to embue 
their minds with the beft information, it is of 
the higheft importance that her own example 
(hould illuftrate the inftrudtions which fhe 
gives them. It is well known that Children 
are very quick in obferving any paffion orpeev- 
ifhnefs in their Mother ; and every fuch obfer- 
vation tends to diminiili their refpecl and reve- 
rence for her •, hence the importance of that 
evennefs of temper which arifes fron iht' Spirit 



264 The Spirit of Me chiefs. 

of Meehiefs, It Is not enough that they (hould 
receive inftruftion hy line upon Une^ and precept 
upon precept ; but thefe inftru£lions require to 
be confirmed by example upon example alfo \ that 
the rifing plants which ought to fupport and 
adorn fociety, may receive with avidity, and 
retain with refpe61:ful confidence, thofe lefibns 
which they fee exempHfied in the hfe and con- 
duel: of their inftruftrefs. Such was the man- 
ner in which our Blefled Lord conveyed and 
confirmed his inftru^tions to his difciples, and 
fuch, in a m.eafure, will be the conduft of his 
faithful fervants in whom he manifefts his own 
Meek and Lowly Spirit, that they may adorn 
the doclrine of God our Saviour in all things. 

" Delightful task ! to rear the tender thought, 
*' To teach the Young Idea how to shoot.'* 

So fays the Poet ; but the tafk is not always 
deHghtful; even in the fame family, the chil- 
dren will exhibit very different difpofitions. — 
Some of them great and almoft unconquerable 
obduracy and perverfenefs, which are very apt 
to " grow v^'lth their grovv^th, and ftrcngthen ^ 



4 



The Spirit of Meehiejs, t^>i5 

with their ftrengthj" and a fuccefsful iffue^ 
even to the beft endeavours, is often almofl 
beyond hope. The afFeftlonate and pious 
mother, in the arduous enterprize, will ex- 
perience the neceffity of frequent applica- 
tions to the throne of Grace \ led by the 
Spirit of Grace and Supplication, to intreat the 
Mercy of God for her Children as well as for 
herfelf ; and to afk the aid of that God, to 
whom no good thing is impoffible. She will 
be humbly and earneftly folicitous for that h^^ 
7iour ivhich cometh from God only ; for though 
her province is the poi^c of difficulty, and ought 
to be that of honour ; flie well knows that 
though the proper difcharge of her duty is all- 
important, yet it is likely to be treated by men 
with neglect, if not contempt ; nay, fhe knows 
that notwithftanding her beft endeavours 
have been exerted for their benefit, it is ftill 
poflible that (he may, even by her own children, 
be treated with coldnefs and neglect, perhaps 
with impatience and difguft. — \Vhen fuch dh- 
rreffing circumftances occur, and many of theoj 
LI 



266 The Spirit of Meehiefs. 

do occur, without being confined altogether to 
Chriftian Women, what can fupport the heart 
under fuch accumulation of trials, if it is not 
that Meeknefs and Lowlinefs of heart which is 
learned of Jefus Chrift ? What can enable her 
to bear them patiently, and with compofure 
and dignity, but that Refignation to the Divine 
Will which leads the heart of the Chriflian to 
fay. Father y not my JVill^ bul thine he do7teF 
What unfpeakable benefit does the Chriflian 
Wife derive from the Spirit of Meeknefs ^ which 
forms her heart in the Image of her Blefled 
Lord ! 

But though it is furely true that thefe things 
may, and fometimes do, in part, befall the pre- 
cious ones, who follow the Lord in Meeknefs 
and Lowlinefs of heart \ it is alfo true that they 
but feldom befall them, and rarely, if ever are 
they all United in the lot of one perfon. On 
the contrary, the Spirit of Meeknefs is the very 
beft prefervative from them ; this difpofition 
blunts the edge of many thoufand trifling and 
almoft namelefs irritations which fap the peace, 



The spirit of Meebiefs. ^67 

and mar the comfort of the heart where this 
fpirit is not ; and unftings many evils of great- 
er name, which unhinge the happlnefs of thou- 
lands. Above all it introduces the Peace of God 
ivhich paljeth underjl an dingy to keep the heart and 
mind through CJjriJi Jefus. The Chriftian Wife 
is taught of God to hope that (he may win the 
beloved partner of her heart to the Lord \ that 
{he may be honoured as an inftrument to recon- 
cile him to God ; and in this hope flie is ftimu- 
lated to perfeverance in Holinefs and Meek- 
nefs •, well knowing that fhould fhe even fail of 
fucceeding in her bed endeavours for his bene- 
fit, ftill her labour will not be in vain in the 
Lord. Should the foul tongue of Slander at- 
tack her, the purity of her heart and life will 
give the lie to defamation ; and (lie enjoys the 
fupreme bleflednefs of approving herfelf to 
God, the fearcher of hearts, who will receive 
her with Well done^ good a^id faithful Servant ^ 
enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. What other 
courfe of hfe opens fo fair a profpeft of fecur- 
in^ the moft cordial affedion^ and the mod 



268 The Spirit of Meehiefi. 

refpeflful attention of her Children ? How 
many bleffings does fhe communicate to the 
circle of her acquaintance ? and how greatly is 
fociety at large indebted to her for the faithful 
and fuccefsful attention with which (he has 
reared up and cultivated fome of its beft fup- 
ports and faireft ornaments ? Her Children arife 
upy and call her Blejfed ; her hujhand alfoy and he 
pratfeth her. Favour is deceitful^ a?id beauty is 
vain : but a ivofnan that feareth the Lordjhejhall 
be praifed. Give her of the fruit of her hands ; 
and let her own works praife her in the gates^ 
Prov.xxxi. 28,30, 31. 



1 



The Spirit of the Lazv. 269 



LErrER V. 



The Spirit of the Law* 



IN the Gofpel according to Matthew, chap, 
xxii. 34 — 40. we are informed that when 
our Lord had put the Sadducees to filence, the 
Pharifees were gathered together \ then one of 
them, a teacher of the Law, made trial of him 
with this queftion, « Teacher, which is the 
great commandment in the Law ?'* Jefus an- 
fwering, faid unto him, ^^Thoujhalt Love the Lord 
thy God with all thy hearty and with all thy foul y 
and with all thy mind. This is the firft and 
great commandment j and the fccond is like 



270 The Spirit of the Law. 

unto it, Thou Jhalt love thy neighhour as thyfelf. 
On thefe two commandments hang all the 
Law and the Prophets." This is the Law 
which Paul fays is Spiritual ; and ftyles it the 
Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrifl Jefus ; which 
makes free from the Law of fin and deaths Rom^ 
vii. 14. and viii. 2. and the Law of God^ chapu 
viii. 7. James calls it the perfecl Law of Liberty^ 
and the Royal Law, James i. 25. and ii. 8. 
All thefe different names are expreffive of th€ 
Spirit of the Law which Is LOVE. God is 
Love ; the Law of Love flows from him as the 
infinite fountain, and the fruits of it return to 
Him as their ultimate centre, as all the rivers 
i run into the fea, Eccl. i. 7. God is a Spirit, and 
they who acceptably worfhip him, worflnp him in 
Spirit and in Truth, They are reunited to him 
by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrifl Jefus, 
and thereby 7nade free from the Law of fin and 
death ; hence it is ftyled the Law of Faith, 
which the Gofpel was intended not to male void, 
huttoejiablifj. Rom. iii. 27, 31. 



The Spirit of ike Law. 21 i 

Mankind, in a ftate of alienation from the 
Life of God, are rebels againft the Divine 
Law. The Apoftle rightly fays, the Carnal mind 
is entnity agcnnji God ; for it is not fubjecl to the 
Law of God J neither indeed can be^ Rom. viii. 7. 
The reafon is obvious ; men in revoking from 
God became dead to Divine things, becaufe 
they turned away from the fource of their Life. 
They had (hut their ears againft the word of 
the Living God, they had clofed their eyes 
that they fhould not fee. They could now 
only attain to the {hadow ; but had no per- 
ceptions which could reach to the Spirit or 
fubftance of the Law of God, which is fpi- 
ritual ; hence the propriety of the Apoftle's 
obfervation, 1 Cor. ii. 14. that, the Soulijb man 
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for 
they are foolijijnefs unto him ; neither can he know 
them J becaufe they are Spiritually difcerned. Every 
man comes into this world in a ftate of Spi^ 
ritual Death ; and while he continues in that 
ftate, is incapable of the Spiritual underftand- 
ing of the Law of God, or of any obedience 



272 The Spirit of the Law. 

which comes nearer to It than paying tythe of 
Jldinty Anifey and Cummin was to fudgmenty 
Jkfercyy and Faith. No power but the power 
of God who raifeth the deady can ralfe them from 
this ftatc, quickening them from death in tref- 
paflcs and fins. So the Apoftle ftates it — Gody 
ivho is Rich iji Mercy y for his grtTiX. Love where- 
nvith he loved us even when %ve luere dead in 
finsy hath quickened us. — For this very purpofe 
the Son of God was fent, anointed with the Holy 
Spirit y and with power y to fpeak the words of God; 
that the deadfhould hear the voice of the Son of 
Gody and that they who would hear fijould live. 
It is He who unftoppeth the ears of the deaf that they 
fhouldhear the words of the hooky as they were in- 
tended to be heard ; that the truth therein teftifi- 
ed fhould reach their hearts, and fet them free 
from the bonds of Spiritual death, and bring 
them to the glorious liberty of the Sons of Gody 
by the operation of the Spirit of Truthy which 
the world cannot receive, while abiding in 
Death. // is He who openeth the eyes of the 
blind y that they fhould fee out cf ohfcurity and out of 



The Spirit of the Law. 273 

darinefs ; that by renewing them in the 
knowledge of The only True Gody and- J^fa^ 
Chri/l whom he hath fentj he might renew 
in them that Spiritual Life from which 
they had fallen ; and thereby bring them un- 
der the operation of ^he Law of the Lord^ 
•which is perfeB converting the SouL There 
is no right knowledge of God wlvhout know- 
ing that God is Love, There caTi be no true 
knowledge of Jefus Chrift in any perfon but in 
thofe in whom God reveals his Son ; and he 
can only be revealed as the hnage of the Livifl^ 
hie Gody the manifeftation of his Love, Such 
is our Lord's own teftimony, God fo Loved the 
nvorld that he gave his only begotten Son. This 
is equally true in the public teftimony in the 
Scriptures concerning him, and in that Spiri- 
tual perception of him in the hearls of indi- 
viduals, which is produced by the Divine 
Spirit enlightening their underftandin;^, that 
they may know the things that are freely given 
to them of God. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Thofe whofe 
eyes are thus opened will uudcrftand the im- 
M M 



274 The Spirit of the Laiju. 

port of our Lord's teftimonvj John 6. 40. 
This is the will of him that fevt me ; that every 
one who feeth the Son^ and beiicveth on him^ 
may have everlafling life. 

The Apoftle fliews in Rom. 10. 4. that — 
Chrijl IS the end of the Law fr Righteoufnefsy 
to eve-y one that believeth. This end of the Laiv 
is not its deftrur^.ion but its fulfilment ; Chrift's 
own teilimony is, that he ca7ne not to defiroy the 
Lawy but to fulfil it. ]Mat. 5. l7. The 
fame Apoftle (hews Rom. 13. 10, that Leve 
is the fulfilling of the Law, So alfo 1 Tim. 
1.5. The end of the commandment is Charity ^ 
or Love. The end of the La^Vy then, of which 
the Apoftle fpeaks, is the fulfilling of it. The 
Law is the perfeft flandard or meafure of 
Righteot fiefs. The Sum of what the Law 
requires, as ftated by our Lord, is, PefeEi 
Love to God and Alan^ in its full operation, 
producing its proper fruits. This, and this 
alone, is Righteoufnefs, This Righteoufnefs 
was exemplified in abfolute perfection in our 
Lord Jefus Chrift, who is thence ftyled the 



The Spirit of the Law, 21 o 

end of the Law for Righteoufnefs, Herein we 
perceive the reafon of the Father's declara- 
tion, This is vjy beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleafedy confirming the prophetic teftimony, 
Ifa. 42. 21. The Lord is well ple^fd fr his 
Right eouf f J efs fake y he fi jail magnify the Law and 
male it honourable* Thofe who believe the 
record which God hath given of his Son, and 
they only, will perceive this magnifying and 
honouring of the Law completely manifefted 
in that perfect Love to God and man, which 
produced the obedience of Chrift unto the 
death; and they are made partakers of the fame 
Spirit of Love, fhed abroad in their hearts, and 
bringing forth in them the fame fpiritual 
fruits, conforming them to His Im^ge ; for 
with the heart man belie zeth unto Righteoufnefs ^ 
and with the mouth confeffion is made unts fjlva- 
ti:n, Rom. 10. 10. The belief with the 
heart is a belief unto the fame Righteoufnefs^ 
whereby ChriJ} is the End of the Law ; for the 
Righteoufnefs of the Law is fulfilled in them who 
walk not after the flflj, hut the Spirit ; the rc«- 



276 The Spirit of the Law. 

fejion with the mouth ; denotes not only verbal 
confeffion, but alfo the obedience of Faith 
unto Salvation, they having the fame fpirit of 
Faith as he had, as it is written, / believed 
therefore have I fpoken^ they also believe and 
therefore fpeah : hence the reafon of the Apofllc 
concluding the fourth vcrfe in thefe words,— 
to every one who believeth ; becaufe the work of 
Faithi is connexfled in them with the labour of 
Love and the patience of Hope in our Lord J ejus 
Chriff^ in the fight of God even our Father. 
The New Cotnmandmetit is true in him and in 
them. They walk in the fame Spirit of Love, 
and receive the end of their Faith ^ the Salvation 
■of their fouls ' 

The Law was a fchoolmader, a conductor 
of youth unto Chrift that thofe who were fo 
conduced (hould be juftified by Faith Mofej 
defcribeth the Righteouincfs which is of the 
Law, that the man who doth thefe things fhall live 
In them. The defign of the Law was not to give 
Ifes but to direft the conduct of thofe to 
whom life ha4 been given •, which life could 



i 



The Spirit of tht Laxu. 277 

only be enjoyed in doing what the Law re- 
quired. This was the cafe with every Divine 
Law, at every time from the days of Adam 
downward. God firft gave life to Adam and 
tken gave him a Law, in obedience to which 
only, he could live, with intimation that in the 
day in which he difobeyedj dying hejhmild die ; 
which accordingly took place, for on the day 
in which he tranfgre&d the Divine Command 
death began to operate in him, and continued 
till he returned to the duft from which he was 
taken. When God feparated the feed of If- 
rael, he gave them his Laws, which if they 
kept they fliould live in them, and enjoy the 
bleffings of the earthly economy ; but if they 
did not keep them, they fhould be caft out of 
it, which accordingly came to pafs. The an- 
eients, who through Faith obtained a good re- 
port, were guided, not only by the letter, but 
alfo by the fpirit of the La^v^ into the percep- 
tion of thofe Spiritual things in profpecl, which 
the earthly fhadows typified. The language 
cAthe Rightccnfriefs %vhich is of^Faiihy Deut. 30, 



278 The Spirit of the Law. 

10, — 16. as quoted Rom. 10, 6, — 9. was as 
nearly the fame in their days, as in the days 
of the Apoftles, as the nature of the two Dif- 
penfations could admit of ; and in both, men 
believed with the heart unto Righteoufnefsy and 
confejjed ivith the mouth unto Salvation, 

Yet, notwithfianding the explicit and har- 
monious teftimcny of the Scriptures, Chrijl 
being the end of the Law for Righteoufnefs to 
every one who believeth^ has been confidered as 
fignifying that the perfonal Righteoufnefs of 
Chrifi is imputed to believers, as their Righte- 
Gufiiefs^ by which imputed Righteoufnefs they are 
Juflifed before God, without any refpedl to 
their being doers of the Law This, like many 
other paffages of Scripture, has been much 
mifunderftood, by being viev/ed detached from 
the general fcope of the fubjc'fi or reafoning, 
and from the connexion in which the "Wifdom 
of God had placed it ; this is one of the hurt- 
ful eifefts of thofe Syftenis of Theology which 
human Wifdom hath contrived, operating with 
a puzzling and blinding effecl on the niiiuis of 



The Spirit of the Law. 21^ 

men whereby they have been turned from the 
truth, aiiLi turned u^ito fables, darkening their 
underllandings and marring their comfort. 

ihe earthly economy to which the Law of 
Mofes applied, in the firit inltance, was a 
{hadow of Spiri:uai Things \ the earthly 
bleffings were not purchafed by Mofes or 
Joihua, but were freely given of God. No- 
thing was to be done by the people, nor by 
any other in their itead, in order to merit Ca- 
naan or the bleffings which were treely given 
of God. The people were to continue to en- 
joy thefe bleffings by doing the things which 
the Law required. The Spiritual ijifpenfa- 
tion, with all its fpiritual bleflings are the fub- 
ftance of the former earthly (hadows. Nothing 
can be done by mankind to bring Chriil: down, 
or to raife him from the dead God hath freely 
given his only begotten Sony and hath raifed him 
from the dead. God hath given him the king- 
dom, and authorized him to give the Kingdom 
of God to thofe who obey him ; they can on^ 
iy enjoy the fpiritual bleflings in walking in 



280 The Spirit cf the Law. 

the obedience of Faith ; being not without Law 
to God^ but under Law to Chrifl, 

The Apcftle had dated in this fame epiftle, 
cnap. 2, 13. that not the hearers of the Law are 
jufi before God ; but the doers of the Law fh all 
he juflified. This he illuftrates by the cafe of 
the Gentiles, now called by the Gofpel to the 
obedience of Faith ; who. as he elfe where ex- 
prefles it, were cut out of the olive tree ivhich is 
wild by nature y and grafted into the good olive tre£; 
and from being y^r off^ were made nigh by the 
hlood of Chrljl ; became fellow citizens^ with the 
Saints^ and of the houfehold of God : beings by be- 
lieving the Gofpel, put in pofleffion of the like 
privileges and bleffings as the believers among 
thofe who were ftyled Jews by Nature ; and 
like them, their continuing to enjoy thefc 
bleffings, was connected with their doing th^ 
things contained in the Law^ although they h^d 
not been favoured with the earthly privileges 
which God had appointed in the ritual econo- 
my. Therefore he fays, verfes 14, 15. For 
when the Gentiles who have not the Law by fiaturcy 



II 



\ 



The Spirit of the Law. 281 

(fuch Is the true reading,) do the things contained 
in the Law, thefe having not the Law ^ are a Law 
unto themfelves ; which Jhew the work of the Law 
written in their hearts. Agreeable to the pro- 
mifes of the New Covenant, Jer. 31. 33. and 
EzeL S6, 25, — 27. in which the Gentiles are 
made to rejoice with his people ; for the Gen- 
tiles here fpoken of are obvioufly thofe who 
hear the word of the Gofpel and believe. Where 
are there any, whether Jews or Gentiles, who 
do the things contained in the Law, unlefs it be 
thofe who walk not after the flefh hut after the 
Spirit ; in whom the Right eoufnefs of the Law is 
fulfilled^ when God writes his Law in their 
hearts^ and they keep his Judgments and do 
them ? 

Paul was particularly the Apoflk of the Gen- 
tiles^ and was Zealous that they (hould not be 
btought under the Yoke of the Ceremonial 
Law J manifefling to them without the Law ^ the 
Righteoufnefs of Gody witneffed by the Law and 
the Prophets^ as the Jufifier of the Gen:iksy the 
Uncircumciftony through Faith ^ as well as of 
Nn 



.:^^82 The Spirit of the Law. 

the Jewsy the Circumcifwn, b\ Faith ; and {hew- 
ing that when the uncirciimcifoiiy nvhich is by 
naturej keep or fulfil the Lawj they fhall 
Judge thofe Jews by nature^ who, by the letter 
and circumcifion do tranfgrefs the Law, The 
Gentiles are made fellow heirsj and of the fame bo' 
dyj and partakers of God's promife in Chrifl by the 
GofpeL Ephes. 3, 6. which was that the bleffing 
sf Abraham might come on the Gentiles ^ through 
y^fus Chrijl; that they might receive the promife 
of the Spirit through Faith. Gal. 3, 14. 

Thefe promifes wer^ often repeated in the Old 
Tcftament, particularly Jer. 31, 33. Ezek. 11, 
19, and 36,27. where the Lord promifes that he 
would give them a New hearty an heart ^ffleflj; 
on the tables of which the spirit of the Lawfljould 
be written^ in diftinftion from the Stony hearty 
to which only, the Letter ^ written on tables of 
Stoncy could reach. The Teaching alfo was to 
be of God / and this teaching (hould draw them 
them to Jfus Chrijl. Such is our Lord's own 
interpretation, John 6. 41', 45. No one can 
come unto me^ except the Father which hath fent 



The Spirit of the Law. 283 

me draw him j and I will raife him up at the lajl 
day; It is written in the prophets^ And they [hall 
he all taught of God, Every one^ therefore^ that 
hath heardy and hath learned of the Father^ com" 
eth unto me. 

When men begin to think ferioufly about 
Chriftianity, it is very natural that they fhould 
inquire into the evidences of its Truth ; and 
•where the mind is honeft and fincere, the exa- 
mination will lead to full conviction. In this 
inquiry, however, they may meet w^ith diffi- 
culties. Philofophy and Wit, both fallely 
fo called, have employed all the refources of 
Subtility, Sophiftry, and Ridicule, aflbciated 
with the fneers and blafphemy of ii^norant and 
audacious Profligacy, in order to abolifh Chrif- 

tianity, in vain — — Chriftianity has re* 

mained unftiaken. — Their weapons could not' 
reach it. Thefe weapons have indeed fuccefT- 
fully alTailed many things which, through mif- 
take, have bv^en deemed parts of Chriilianlty \ 
but which were not of God. Thefe were of 
^in, and of courfe were within the 



2S4; The Spirit of the Law. 

reach of the oppofers ; who have been wifely 
fufFered to expofe the abfurdlty of thefe fpuri- 
ous parts, that the Genuine Truths of God 
might be freed from fuch adulterating mixture. 
Even the external tviAtricts of the truth and ex- 
cellence of Chriftianity have been fufficient to 
filence gainfayers. Thefe evidences may be 
underftood by men whofe hearts remain un- 
changed. There may be fuch a perception of 
the truth and beauty of Chriftianity, which 
men may fo reft fatisfied with, as to minifter 
food for their vanity, and gratification for felf- 
love; and thereby prevent men from coming to 
Chrift. Hence, according to our Lord's own 
Statement, Hearing alone is not fufficient •, it is 
needful for us alfo to Learn of the Father^ in or- 
der to come to the Son. We are not tat4ght of 
Gody unlefs we not only hear but fo attend to 
m)hat we hear^ as to Learn of the Father ; and 
his teaching invariably leads to the Sen, in whom 
it pleafed the Father that all fulnefs foul d dwell. 
The record which God hath given of his 
Son, is the very mean by which the Father 



The Spirit of the Law. 2S5 

draws men to the Son, that they may believe 
on him whom God hath fent ; and believing on 
him, they are made partakers of the fame fpi- 
rit with which he was anointed •, the fame an^int^ 
ing teacheth them of all things ; and is truth and 
is no lie. This Anointing Spirit, flied on be- 
lievers through Jefus Chrift, is that whereby> 
they are taught of God^ fo that they need not 
that any man fliould teach them; becaufe the 
Holy Spirit taketh gf the things of Jefus and 
Jheiveth unto them. 

That knowledge of the Truth and Excel- 
lency of Chriftianity, which may be acquired 
or increafed by the converfation or the writ- 
ings of men who have ftudied the fubject, is 
iiighly proper and important-, being calculated 
to anfwer the doubrs and difficulties which 
may arife in the minds of inquirers, or be fug- 
geited by others; and though it does not 
change the heart, yet it tends to difpofe It to 
fubmiffion to the Divine Teaching; but when 
the underftandhig comes to be enlightened, 
and the heart thereby purified and renewed by 



2S6 The Spirit of tie Law. 

the Divine Spirit; the believers are led to the 
fpiritual perception of the things of God — of 
that grand principle of Divine Goodnefs, which 
pervades every part of the Conduft of God, 
and to which they had formerly been in a great 
meafure flrangers; their whole hearts are led 
to the Love of God, and obedience to his Will, 
with an energy and devotednefs unknown be- 
fore. Their reafon, formerly clouded and mif- 
ied by ignorance and prejudice, is now cleared 
from that obfcurity, and perceives the things 
of the Spirit of God, with a perfpicuity of 
which they had formerly no adequate idea. 
This produces in them by degrees that habit of 
doing the things contained in the Lawj or in other 
words doing the Will of God; wliich familia- 
rizes Divine things to their underftandings, 
and renders them capable of what the ApoflJe, 
with great propriety ftyles, the riches of the fill 
ajfurance of iniderftanding. CoL ii. 2. Their 
Faith reds not now alone on the teftimony of 
men or books; the Divine fpirit beareth -witnefs 
"juith their fpirit s that they are' Children of G^.', 



The Spirit of the Law. 28? 

They may fay as the Samaritans did of old, 
Noiv we believe y not hecaufe of thj faying; for ive 
curfehes have heard and feen that this is indeed 
the Chriji the Saviour of the world. 

Having found The ChriJI the Saviour of the 
worldy they know him not after the flejh ; but be- 
ing partakers of the fame anointing which was 
poured without meafure on the living Head, 
they, as members of his body, are Joined to 
the Lord in one Spirit ; having ChriJI in them 
the hope of Glory, From the ftate of Death in 
Sinsy they have been revived into Spiritual 
Life in Chrijly by the fame fpirit which raifed 
our Lord Jefus Chriji from the dead; they are 
created anew in Chrjl Jefus^ hence the Apof* 
tie fays, 2 Cor. v, 1 7. If any man be in ChriJI 
he is a new Creature. The love of ChriJI conjlrain^ 
ing fuch to live not to ihemfelvesy but to him who 
died for them and 7'ofe again; they are led to count 
ihemfelves dead indeed unlojin^ but alive unto God 
through Jefus Chrljl our Lordy that they may 
walk with him in newnefs of life. Rom. 6. They 
are led by the fpirit of God, to live in the Spi* 



288 The Spirit of the Law. 

rit and walk in the Spirit, whereby that Spiri- 
tual Righteoufnefs, tke end of the Law which is 
Spiritual, is fulfilled in them, which is eflenti- 
ally neceflary to their abiding iti him who is 
their Life ; and by which they are more and 
more nouriflied up till they attain to the mea- 
fute ofthejlature of the fulnefs of Chriji. They 
are not of the world as He was not of the 
world J and in a way which the world cannot 
underftand, they believe that Jesus is 

THE ChKIST, the SoN OF GoD, AND BELIEV- 
ING, THEY HAVE LiFE THROUGH HIS NaME. 



the end. 



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